The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu
by SpiffyPixie1
Summary: She was born a special being but her powers were kept a secret. Mayu befriended a prince, was put in danger, and was taken away, leaving her only friend alone and feeling betrayed. It would not be until years later that her destiny would be brought to light and she would take on the task of setting things right, for the world and her loved ones. Zuko/OC story. I own OC's and story.
1. Prologue

-This is my fanfic for Avatar: The Last Airbender. It is, as you can see, named The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu. If you can gather a plot to the story from the title, I hope you get all the baked goods you want the next day. Anyway, this is the story following the life of my OC, Mayu Oshiro. The first few chapters are going to be a brief viewing of her early life with Zuko, as this is a Zuko/OC story. If anyone has an objection to it, I understand, seeing as how I am a Zuko/Mai fan myself, but I had been planning this out since before I even came to like Mai. I don't really care. Mayu isn't based off me. None of my OCs are anymore. I just want them to be happy and overcome obstacles. Sorry for the rambling. It's not needed, but I couldn't are less. Thank you if you read this paragraph, and I am truly sorry. And, so this is at the very end and not squished somewhere in the middle where no one can find it: this story is to be rated T, because I do swear. I include swear words in everything. It will be included, and I don't want to rate this K because that seems inappropriate.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Prologue

The man stared at the child in his arms, so beautiful, perfect, and stunning. It was hard to believe that, only a moment before, she had been on fire.

His wife lied on their bed, resting and recovering from the many hours it took to give birth to their child. He had almost lost them both several times, and he was shaking as he sat and held his little girl, rocking in place and trying not to cry.

Daiki Oshiro was a strong and capable man, a superb warrior, and a more than gifted firebender. He had battled and stood his ground against many a combatant, had gone to war and come back with honor, and had fought to keep the place of his birth and childhood a secret from his Nation.

Yet, as strong as he was, he realized that he did not have the strength to go on without his wife and newborn child had they died. They were everything to him, completely the center of his world . . . And he had almost lost them.

He watched his daughter's face as she yawned then slowly opened her eyes, realizing that he was the first person she was seeing in her newborn life. He noted that her left eye was hazel in color, like her mother's, and her right eye was golden, like his own. Her short little tuft of hair was a very dark brown, almost black, that reflected the light of the fire prettily.

The baby smiled at her father and made a gurgling sound, like she was trying to laugh with joy, and reached her hand up to touch his face.

This only made Daiki feel the need to cry even more, and he held his baby girl closer, knowing what she was.

Hours later his wife, Kumiko, awoke and rose painfully from the bed to see her husband sitting on the floor in front of the fire and holding their baby protectively in his arms.

She put a hand on his shoulder and did not waver in her touch when he flinched. "Hush, my love, everything's alright."

Daiki shook his head, tears occasionally still falling from his eyes. "You saw what she is, Kumiko. You saw her power."

Kumiko wrapped her arms around her husband and child, holding them to her still aching body. "It will be okay, Daiki. Believe in the spirits and know that they will guide us."

He still held his infant daughter closely. "You don't understand; if she is alive, that means the Avatar will return." Daiki knew what would happen. "If anyone still believes the old stories and finds out what she is, they will take her away and never let her go. They might even kill her."

Kumiko moved so that she could look into her husband's frantic eyes. "Listen, Daiki; I know very well what our daughter is. I know what it means, and I know what could happen to her, but we cannot hide her away from the world, no matter what. We can only protect her for so long before we have to let her go." She felt an ache as she watched her child giggle and hold a tiny hand out, as if she was reaching for the fire. "We have to trust that she'll make the right decisions. She'll be okay."

Daiki still shook, afraid for his daughter.

"Still," Kumiko whispered, "we'll protect her for as long as we can."

Hours later, after the parents had finally gone to sleep, they were again awoken by the sound of their daughter laughing loudly and by the smell of smoke in the air.

They sat up frantically in their bed to see their house on fire and their baby girl in the center of it all, playing with the flames.

-Oh, again with the rambling. I'm good for that. So, chapters are going to be short. I was going to have my first four chapters be a part of the prologue but it was already 10 pages long and it wasn't needed. Still, the first chapters about her childhood are going to be a prologue to the main story. If anyone wants a character profiling to be posted, leave a review, as I have personal messages disabled. If anyone has questions or comments about anything at all, actually, please leave a review. If it's rude I will not be answering back to you. There's no use. I'm emotional and I cry easily. I need to wake up and keep working on the blanket that I was supposed to have done a long time ago. Thank you for paying attention to my ranting, those of you who did. Have a good day/night.- SpiffyPixie1


	2. Chapter 1

-So, here is the first official chapter. Again, the chapters of her childhood are pretty much the prologue to the main story. Any comments or questions, I'd love to hear them. The chapters are a bit short, but once I really get into it, I have a tendency to make them 10 or more pages long. Anyway, enjoy.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Chapter 1

"Never show your powers, Mayu. If you do, they'll take you away from me and I will never see you again."

Wonderful advice, if I knew what my powers were. My mother, Kumiko, was protective and just told me to avoid fire. Honestly? That was just the teensiest bit hard since we lived in the Fire Nation and lived in the servant's quarters in the palace of Fire Lord Azulon.

Still, I followed my mother's wishes as best as I could. I kept away from candles, lanterns, and the kitchens as often as possible, not really understanding why. She never told me if I was a firebender, just that my 'abilities' would be revealed if I came in contact with fire, so I just assumed that I was a firebender.

My mother, being a diligent and exceptionally hard worker, was Lady Ursa's handmaiden. I, on the other hand, being just a child but still apparently needing a job, was chosen to be the playmate of the royal children.

Those children, if anybody needs it to be explained, were Prince Zuko and Princess Azula, son and daughter of Ozai and Lady Ursa.

That day was stressful for me. As I kneeled in front of Prince Zuko, Princess Azula, and Lady Ursa, waiting for one of the royal children to pick me as their playmate, I pleaded with the Spirits to spare me and for them just to decide that I was better off working as a maid. Or something, ANYTHING else but being a personal playmate for two royal, spoiled kids. (Who cares if they were either a year older or the same age?)

Lady Ursa was smiling as she introduced me. "Azula, Zuko, this is Mayu Oshiro. She is Kumiko's daughter."

Azula looked at me with scorn. "Stand up," she commanded, and of course I did as I was told, being forewarned of Azula's famous temper. She motioned for me to turn around in a circle and I did, all the while keeping my head down. I didn't know if it was considered insolence for looking royalty in the eye like in the stories mom would read to me at night, but I wasn't taking any chances. "Stop moving." I could hear Azula march up to me and suddenly I found myself looking up into her eyes as she had grabbed my face with one hand and forced my head up.

Her mother, Lady Ursa, was obviously displeased. "Azula! Let go of her!"

"What, mother?" Azula took on the most innocent expression she could manage. "She wasn't looking at me."

"Well, it was rude to grab her like that." Lady Ursa smiled, her beauty and kindness shimmering off her in waves. "Please excuse my daughter's behavior. I've told her to have more respect toward everyone, no matter who they are."

I decided instantly that I liked Lady Ursa immensely. She didn't seem cruel at all like her daughter, and for a moment I wondered where Azula got that kind of attitude from.

Said princess rolled her eyes in exasperation and looked back at me, glaring. "Who cares? She's just a weird-eyed servant girl."

I fought to keep my face neutral so I wouldn't stick my tongue out at Azula. I thought my eyes were fine, the left being hazel and the right golden. It was because my mother was from the Earth Kingdom and my father was from the Fire Nation, so I was lucky enough to inherit both their eye colors.

Prince Zuko spoke for the first time, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I think her eyes are interesting."

I eyed the young prince curiously, wondering if he was mocking me, but I couldn't tell at all with the countenance upon his face. He sounded sincere, however, so I decided to believe him.

Azula sneered. "Oh yeah, real interesting. She just looks weird." She looked me up and down then looked back at her mother. "I'll take her as my playmate, mother."

Lady Ursa, understandably, looked just the smallest bit worried before Zuko spoke up again.

"No."

_Well his responses sure are short, aren't they?_

He walked up to me and stood by my side, his countenance still neutral. "I'd like for Mayu to be my friend, if that's alright mother. Azula already has Mai and Ty Lee."

I felt as if Lady Ursa had to fight to keep the relief from her face. "That is true, Zuko. I think that would only be fair." She looked at Azula as if to receive confirmation.

The princess just scowled and mumbled, "Yeah, sure. He's a loser and he has no real friends anyway." This remark, of course, received a slight scolding from her mother and Azula groaned and walked away, her mother trailing behind.

So the prince and I were left alone in the garden.

I watched as Zuko kicked the dirt and thought of anything that I could say to fill the silence. "May I ask a question, Prince Zuko?"

He scowled slightly and started to walk away. "You don't need to ask my permission."

I followed along behind him, still keeping my head down. "Sorry, Prince Zuko . . . But why did you pick me to be your playmate and not just let Azula take me instead?" I felt as if this made me sound like a toy or a pet, but I didn't care.

The young prince continued to stomp down the hall then up the stairs, leading me wherever. "Stop calling me Prince Zuko. You're allowed to just call me Zuko."

I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "Okay, Zuko. Thank you." And then I waited, thinking he would keep on talking.

Surprisingly, he did. "And I asked for you to be my friend because Azula's just mean." He stopped outside a door and turned to me, one hand on the door. "She's mean to everyone just because she thinks she can be. Obviously she's royalty, so she should get what she wants."

I wrinkled my nose in response and he chuckled slightly.

"But she takes it too far. She has no respect for anyone but my father and my grandfather. She's even mean to her friends, but at least Ty Lee's the daughter of a general and Mai's father is a governor." He just shook his head. "She would act horrible toward you since she would view you as nothing but a lowly servant."

I was glad for his honesty, at least. "What do you view me as?"

Zuko smiled slightly and took my hand, pushing open the door with his other. "You're now my friend, Mayu. We'll play in here for a little while, alright?"

I looked around as he led me inside the large room. "Is this a training dojo?"

He nodded, walked to the center, removed his shirt, and proceeded to stretch. "I want to practice my firebending."

I froze at the word "fire." I wasn't supposed to be around fire. What was I supposed to do, though? _"Oh, okay, Zuko! You do your firebending thing and I'll just wait outside. Is that alright?"_ I didn't know what to say to get out of this situation.

Zuko noticed my silence and walked back to me. "What's wrong?"

"I, um . . . I'm afraid of fire."

He stared at me for a moment, as if to ascertain whether or not I was joking. "You're afraid of fire?"

I nodded, feeling completely imbecilic and thinking he was going to laugh at me.

To my surprise, however, he didn't. "I'll be careful not to throw any fire your way," he stated, smiling gently. "I promise." Zuko proceeded to walk back toward the middle of the dojo to start his exercises.

It went on for about half an hour, and I noticed how hard Zuko worked to perfect his forms. Somehow I could tell he had a lot to learn, but I knew he'd do great. As far as I could tell, he was amazing.

Each blast of fire had me almost mesmerized and for a moment I wondered how bad fire could be. It was beautiful and it danced almost as if it had a life of its own.

_Fire is incredible._

Then Azula stepped into the dojo, flanked by two girls I could only assume were the aforementioned Mai and Ty Lee.

One of them looked quirky and absolutely alive with energy and had her hair held up in a simple ponytail with bangs parted to the side.

The other girl looked quiet and solemn with her black hair done up in two circular buns from which she let the rest of her hair hang down. It was quite cute. I noticed that she blushed when she looked at Zuko, but whether it was from a slight crush or the fact that he had his shirt off, I didn't know. It was probably both.

Azula was smirking and sauntered up to her brother as he finished his last form. "Is that really the best you can do, Zuzu?"

Zuko glared. "Don't call me that, Azula."

She just rolled her eyes, which irritated me. "Do you want me to show you how a real firebender does it, brother?" At this, she produced a ball of fire in her palm and started to bounce it around from hand to hand as if it took no effort at all.

Zuko shook his head and put his shirt back on. "Not right now. Maybe later."

This seemed to deflate Azula a bit, if only for a moment. "What're you doing that you can't watch me be better than you right now?"

I scowled and glared, annoyed with her pompous attitude. _Well, I knew one of them was a spoiled brat, at least._

"I'm hungry, so I'm taking Mayu down to the kitchens to get some food." With those words, he proceeded to march over to me and lead me out of the room.

I glanced back and noticed Azula rolling her eyes and glowering, the happy girl still smiling, and the solemn girl looking a little crestfallen that Zuko was leaving.

_Should I tell Zuko that she seems to have a crush on him?_ I thought about doing it, honestly, but I decided that it was none of my business. I still asked him why he decided to leave the dojo.

"Well, Azula would've tried something bad. I promised you that I wouldn't let you get hurt, didn't I?" He was smiling brightly, still leading me along by the hand.

I bit the corner of my lip and laughed a little bit, earning a frown.

"What?"

"You promised me that you wouldn't shoot fire at me." I couldn't help my laughter but I tried to tone it down so we would stop getting stares from the other servants as we passed by.

Zuko rubbed the back of his head and looked a little sheepish. "Oh. Well," he cleared his throat as if trying to regain composure. "I promise that I won't shoot any fire at you AND, I promise to not let you get hurt."

I nodded, still grinning a bit, and squeezed his hand in appreciation.

-I really was going to make it all like one huge prologue, but I asked a friend and they said that's way to long, so what I have written so far is divided. I realize that Zuko isn't his usual grumpy and bad-attitude filled self, but that is because this is when they are children. You know, before the whole Agni Kai with his father and getting burned in the face. He trusts his new friend and is happy that he has someone around who doesn't ridicule him or talk down to him, so that's a plus. Thank you for reading and leave a review.- SpiffyPixie1


	3. Chapter 2

-So, here is chapter 2. Not much to say about it, really. Little fillers. And this is in the eyes of a child. Mayu is the same age as Zuko, and they're kids. I may screw up things that happen when they're supposed to be teenagers, but it's okay. Everyone makes mistakes.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Chapter 2

For the next two weeks, I became almost inseparable from Zuko. He took me to explore around the palace almost everywhere, except for places like the war room and the Fire Lord's chamber, of course. He made sure to be around whenever Azula was as well, as she seemed to still be annoyed that I was her brother's friend and not her playmate.

I often felt happy at the fact that Zuko seemed to consider me his actual friend. He and I both had that in common; aside from Zuko, I had no other friends.

Ty Lee was nice enough to me, at least, but other than normal pleasantries she gave the impression like she couldn't really care less about me. I thought Mai would be peeved at the fact that I spent so much time with Zuko, but she never appeared hostile toward me. Then again, she never showed emotion much of the time either.

There was one afternoon that Zuko was called away by his father, Ozai, and I was left alone with Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee.

Azula smiled wickedly. "Let's all go to my room, shall we?"

And so we did.

I was feeling a little apprehensive. I hadn't been near Azula without Zuko around yet. I was sure she couldn't be all that bad though, right?

I had observed Azula's interaction with her mother and theorized why she acted the way she did. Azula assumed that Zuko was their mother's favorite child and she thought that Lady Ursa just saw her daughter as a monster. I fully understood why she thought this, but I also thought that it was stupid. Lady Ursa just wanted her daughter to be kind to others and to have respect for other people and their lives, so she was scolded more than Zuko. It didn't mean that Lady Ursa loved her daughter any less.

To anyone who knew them, it was obvious which parent influenced which child the most. Zuko might've looked up to his father and thought him a great man, but he was, for lack of a better word, a momma's boy. I mean it with great affection, of course. Zuko got his kindness from his mother. He was still a brat at times, yes, but he was an amazing friend.

Though I hadn't gotten to know Azula that well yet, she was evidently more influenced by her father's behavior. She had learned to talk down to people who were considered beneath her and wasn't afraid of saying what was on her mind, which would be a good thing, if what was on her mind would be nice comments, but they weren't. She instilled terror in people at times because she knew she could do almost anything she wanted and get away with it.

I figured Azula might actually not be that bad. _Maybe she just needs someone to show her kindness._

We made it to her room and, once we were all inside, she closed the door behind her.

She had a pleasant smile on her face as she sat on her bed kicking her legs slightly as we all stood around her. "So Mayu," she addressed me, waiting for me to acknowledge that she had spoken.

I nodded my head and bowed. "Yes, Princess Azula?"

She had a sadistic smirk on her lips, marring her pretty face. "I hear that you're afraid of fire."

My heart started to beat faster, but I gulped and nodded my head once more. "Y-yes, Princess."

Mai just shrugged, uncaring of this exchange, but Ty Lee giggled. "Afraid of fire? You live in the home of Fire Lord Azulon, in the Fire Nation itself. Why would you be afraid of fire?" She said it not mockingly, just as if she was confused and thought it funny.

I couldn't tell them that I was afraid because my mother said I would be taken away from her once my abilities were revealed, so instead I told a simple lie. "I don't know why I'm afraid." _Maybe it's not really a lie._

I didn't really know why I was afraid. Certainly, I didn't want to be taken away from my mother, but to be afraid of fire simply because she told me to be didn't make sense.

Azula scoffed and stood up. "That's just stupid. There's no reason to be afraid of fire."

With that gleam in her eye, however, I was sure there had to be some reason to be scared.

"I think I can help you with your little fear, Mayu."

I stared at her warily but decided to ask anyway. "How, Princess?"

She instructed me to stand still and not move. "This will only take a second, okay?" Azula seemed so sweet and friendly at that moment.

Pushing away any fear I had, I stood absolutely still and watched the Princess as she crept ever closer. Finally, she got about half a foot from my face and instantly made a ball of fire in the palm of her hand.

I couldn't help my reaction. I shrieked and fell on my butt, scrambling away as fast as I could.

Ty Lee looked worried and Mai actually looked a little sad. "Azula, don't you think this is a little mean?"

Azula scowled at them. "I'm just helping her get over her fear of fire." She looked back at me and barked, "Get up! If you move again, I will have you beaten for disobeying me."

I thought it was kind of silly, in a rather depressing way. _She says she wants to help me with my fear of fire, but I'll just end up developing a fear of her._ Regardless, I got back up and stood as still as I could without shaking.

Again, Azula brought the fireball closer and closer to my face.

Time seemed to stop for me as I looked into the fire. It was beautiful and it looked so very alive. I could feel the heat of the flames but it wasn't uncomfortable or painful. Just . . . Familiar. Inches away from my face, I could swear that, for a moment, the flames seemed to _reach_ for me. . . .

"Azula!" Zuko yelled and stormed into his sister's room to stand in front of me protectively.

Lady Ursa followed quickly, countenance disapproving. "Azula, what do you think you are doing?"

The young princess grimaced and looked away from her mother's reproaching eyes. "I was just trying to help her get over her stupid fear of fire."

"It looked like you were trying to burn her."

"I was not!"

I had no doubt in my mind that Azula would've eventually tried, but I didn't want her to get in trouble. "N-no, Lady Ursa, it's fine. Azula was just trying to help me so I wouldn't be so afraid anymore."_ Kindness is a better friend than cruelty._ It was something my father said to me once the last time he had visited home. Even though she was mean, I wanted to be kind to Azula.

Everyone, including said princess, looked at me like I was crazy, but I just smiled. "I'm okay. I wasn't hurt."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at me and took my hand, asking if we could leave.

Lady Ursa nodded and said she still wanted to speak with Azula alone.

We all left, but Zuko led me away from Mai and Ty Lee toward his room.

It worried me that I couldn't tell whether or not he was mad at me.

His eyes were narrowed and his mouth was in a thin line and it certainly made me think he was angry. When we got to his room, however, and he shut the door, he just hugged me.

I was relieved. A little surprised, but relieved, and I hugged him back.

When he released me he took a hold of my shoulders and made me look him in the eyes. "You're sure she didn't hurt you?"

I nodded and smiled brightly. "I'm sure, Zuko. See?" I twirled around a bit and got slightly dizzy. "No burns anywhere."

Zuko smiled and sighed. "Thank Agni. I was worried when I couldn't find you anywhere then one of the servants said that they saw you going with Azula to her room."

A little laugh escaped me. "I'm okay, Zuko, I promise."

"Good." Then he frowned as I kneeled down on the floor and he joined me. "Why did you defend Azula?"

I shrugged and started to play with the frayed edges of my dress. "I didn't want to be mean and just let her get in trouble."

Zuko gaped at me for a moment, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Mayu, she probably would've burned you. You yourself said you're afraid of fire."

"I know, I just . . . Wanted to be nice." I smiled and looked into Zuko's eyes. "It was about a year ago and one of the last times I saw my dad, I think, but he told me, 'Kindness is a better friend than cruelty'." My little heart ached when I thought of my dad. "I know it's silly, but he said that when people are cruel to you, try to show them kindness. I thought that if I showed Azula a little kindness, maybe she would start to change her attitude for the better."

Zuko nodded but he was still frowning a little. "Fine, but if she ever hurts you, I'm not showing her any kindness."

I smiled to my friend in appreciation.

-So, there's the end of chapter 2. If I make a grammar or spelling mistake that I'm not aware of, I'm very sorry. I've read over these chapters at least three times but there's always the possibility of missing something. I do occasionally make grammar errors on purpose, but that's because I want to. Thank you for reading, and have a good day.- SpiffyPixie1


	4. Chapter 3

-I get confused with editing at times. I think my computer hates me or just likes to mess around with me for entertainment. So much fun. Anyway, here is chapter 3. Enjoy reading.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Chapter 3

About three months passed without any more incidents between me and Azula. Whenever Zuko had to leave, I stayed close by and out of site, but it didn't seem to matter; if Azula happened to walk by, she would just stare straight ahead and leave me alone, and for that I was thankful.

_Maybe she did need the kindness._ It was a nice thought, at least.

One day, Azula, also noticing the crush that Mai had on Zuko, placed an apple onto Mai's head and told everyone it was a game. She then shot fire at the apple, setting it aflame.

Since we were in the Royal Garden, Zuko tackled Mai into the pond so she wouldn't get burned and ended up on top of her, as well as both of them being soaked.

I had gone to fetch towels immediately as well as a change of clothes for both Mai and Zuko. I was irritated about the situation and no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't figure out why. I couldn't be mad at how close Mai and Zuko had been, right? I pushed the thought away and assumed that I was just angry at Azula for knocking them into the water.

The next day, Mai stayed home sick, so it was just Azula and Ty Lee wandering around the palace.

Needless to say, Zuko and I avoided them and stayed in his room. For a while Zuko lent me a spare wooden sword and was teaching me how to duel.

"Oh my god, you're terrible at this," he remarked, laughing a little.

I stuck my tongue out and swung at him clumsily, easily leaving an opening for him to just knock the sword out of my hands. I groaned, but I had to agree. "You're right, I really am." Sighing, I picked my sword back up and took a ready stance, feeling a little down.

Zuko took the sword from me and put it and his own away, looking concerned. "Are you okay, Mayu?"

I nodded but sat down in the usual way I did on the floor, legs tucked underneath me. Zuko sat across from me, obviously worried. "It's alright, Zuko, I just . . . Can I tell you something?"

"Of course you can." He was smiling now, reassured he hadn't done anything wrong. "What is it?"

I looked down and started playing with the ends of my dress again. "I'm not sure if I'm actually afraid of fire."

"What?" Zuko looked more than confused as he scooted closer to me, but I realized it was because he couldn't hear me.

_Just as well,_ I thought, letting out a breath. _I don't exactly want anyone to overhear._ I motioned for him to move closer and said, "I don't know if I'm really afraid of fire or not, Zuko." Earlier that day I had sat in the dojo just watching him as he went through his forms, and I felt a strange ache as I saw the fire, an almost longing.

Zuko put a hand under my chin and gently tilted my head up so he could see my face. "Why do you think that?"

_This is why Zuko is my best friend,_ I thought happily. _He doesn't mock or ridicule me._ "My mother is the one who told me to be afraid of fire."

"Kumiko?" Zuko had a puzzled expression. "Why would she tell you to be afraid of fire?"

"I don't know why. Mom just said that if I came into contact with fire, my powers would be revealed and I would be taken away from her. It makes sense for her to be scared, I guess." I smiled sadly. "Dad has been gone for a long time, and I don't think mom could handle it if I was taken away."

Zuko frowned slightly, still confused. "But why would you be taken? I don't understand."

"She's never told me why, Zuko." I was about to ask the biggest favor of my friend, and I could only hope that he'd agree and keep it a secret. "But I want to figure out why." I took a deep breath and continued. "I always assumed that I must be a firebender since whatever abilities mom thinks I have would be revealed around fire, right? So I want you to help me."

"Help you do what?" He seemed eager, which made me feel better.

"I need you to keep this a secret, okay?"

Of course he nodded, but I wanted to make sure. "Promise, Zuko? Pinkie swear?" And I held my pinkie up to him, biting the corner of my lip.

He smiled the gentlest smile I had ever seen in my young life. "I swear to you, Mayu." And he locked our pinkies together for a moment.

I felt the strangest warmth in my heart, and it made me happy. "Thank you, Zuko." I released his pinkie finger and got ready. "Okay. What I need you to do is make a little flame."

Again with the confused expression. "Why?"

"I need to touch it."

Zuko's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No! You'll get hurt!"

"But I need to see why mom thinks I need to stay away from fire. Please, Zuko?" I put on the cutest, saddest face I could muster and clasped my hands together.

My friend scowled and looked away, but muttered, "Fine."

I couldn't help but squeal with joy and throw my arms around him happily. "Thank you, Zuzu!" I have no idea how he let me get away with that, but he did. And, to add to his embarrassment, I kissed him on the cheek, thoroughly enjoying his blush and the warmth in my heart at his smile. Quickly, though, I let him go and sat back down, ready to get started.

Zuko seemed to have to take a moment to compose himself before cupping his hands and producing a small flame in the center. He still looked worried but held the flame up to me.

I watched for a second at how the flame danced, so full of life, and I held out my hand, fully intending to touch it.

It was a couple of inches away from my fingertips when the little flame seemed to come to life and reach for me.

I pulled my hand back, astonished, and saw that Zuko was just as surprised.

"Did you see that?"

He nodded slightly, his eyes still wide.

"The same thing happened when Azula was holding the fireball near me," I whispered, almost not believing it. "I thought I had been imagining it."

Zuko just shook his head a little but there was a determined look on his face now. "Well don't stop now, Mayu!"

I nodded and reached for the flame once more, waiting for the heat and the pain people said happened when you came into contact with fire.

It never happened.

Zuko and I watched as the flame moved immediately at my touch and I tilted my hand so it could travel and sit in my palm.

We sat dumbly, watching the fire writhe and dance in my little hand.

"W-what do I do?" I didn't know whether to be ecstatic or terrified.

Zuko just shook his head, mouth opening and closing for a moment. "Try making it bigger."

I let out a deep breath and concentrated on the dancing flame in my hand, willing it to grow just a little bit.

For a moment nothing happened, then the flame grew rapidly, much bigger than I had intended in an instant, overfilling my palm and spilling out, making us both jump back.

I was afraid it would set something in Zuko's room on fire, and I willed the fire to go away and it extinguished itself quickly, leaving behind a small puff of smoke.

Zuko and I just sat back on the floor, bewildered for only a second before we both burst out laughing.

I was completely enthralled by this new discovery. "Zuko!" I grabbed hold of my friend's hands and pulled him up into a hug. "I'm a firebender!" I pulled him along with me as I started to dance around, ignoring his feeble protests since he was smiling as well as complaining.

We stopped dancing when we ran out of breath, but we were laughing.

Zuko grinned widely and put a hand on my shoulder. "How about next time we work on your control a bit?"

I nodded and hugged him again, burying my face into his chest when I felt little tears trying to escape. "Thank you, Zuko."

He petted my hair and held me for a while as I began to cry. "What's wrong, Mayu? I thought you were happy."

I sniffled a little. "I am happy. I just . . . I'm still afraid. I'm a firebender, but why was mom trying to hide it? It's not strange for a child of the Fire Nation to be born a firebender. Am I different?"

Zuko just wiped my tears away and shushed my little sobs. "I don't know, Mayu." He paused for a moment and held me closer. "But we will find out."

-Yaaay, she's a firebender. From what you read in the prologue, she's a different kind of firebender. In time, you will find out why she is who she is, so look forward to that. For now this is all I've got. I need to get to sleep soon. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day.- SpiffyPixie1


	5. Chapter 4

-So here is chapter 4 of the Story of Mayu. It's longer than the others so far. I'm sorry if parts seem a little cheesy at all. I don't know how they are, but I just have the feeling that something must be a little odd. Still, I thought the concept I had in my mind was sort of cool, so I went with it and tried my best to bring it to life. Please enjoy reading.

And, just going to update this once more, thank you to moontse for being my first reviewer and follower for the story. That means a lot. Thank you so much.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Chapter 4

Today was Zuko's birthday, and he was turning 11. It had been about a year and a half since our first meeting, and since then I had met his Uncle Iroh and Iroh's son, Lu Ten.

Lu Ten was older then Zuko or I; old enough to be a warrior, at least, and I could see the gleam in Zuko's eye when his cousin spoke about battle. Still, Lu Ten didn't seem like a power-hungry ingrate. He was full of energy and always excited whenever he got to see us. He would spar with Zuko and, seeing how I would sit by and watch, have me join in, pitting us against each other in mock fights. Zuko always won, but that's beside the point.

Iroh, or Uncle, as he wished me to call him, was a general, father of Lu Ten, and first-born son of Fire Lord Azulon. Though I wouldn't say it out loud to anyone, not even Zuko, I was glad that it was Uncle Iroh that would be the next Fire Lord and not Ozai. He was a kind man and always so much more gentle with Zuko than his own father was, and it made me sad. Uncle said that he knew my father and was good friends with him, but when I told my mom she just looked worried and asked if he had told me anything else. Of course he hadn't so mom was relieved.

That only made me think of the fact that I hadn't told her about Zuko helping me find out about my firebending or that he helped me practice, or even that sometimes I practiced on my own.

There had been an incident when I had been alone in the servant's quarters and I was practicing my control over fire. I summoned a flame and was trying to manipulate its shape when I accidentally caught my bed on fire. I put it out quickly but since then I had gained much better control over the fire I created and any fire around me.

Zuko taught me the basic firebending forms that he knew but we had to be careful. I was still determined to keep my firebending a secret and Zuko respected my wishes. I could see that he didn't see the point since being a firebender wasn't unusual, but I knew there had to be something about me that was different.

Still, this day was about Zuko, and I was determined to make it the happiest birthday ever.

Since I made no money, and I wasn't about to ask mom for any, I decided to make a present for Zuko. I planned it for weeks and giggled when Zuko got suspicious and asked me what I was doing, but it would be worth it when I showed it to him.

I woke up early and ran to his room, expecting to surprise him by waking him up but he wasn't there. After running around all over the palace I finally found him in the dining hall with his family, including Uncle Iroh and Lu Ten.

Only Zuko, Uncle, Lu Ten, and Lady Ursa paid me any attention as I stepped tentatively into the room and seated myself beside Zuko. It was more prudent for me to sit behind him, but he insisted.

Ozai ignored me, of course, and started to talk with Lady Ursa and Azula about training regimes for their children, and Zuko used the opportunity to talk to me.

"Why are you up so early," he whispered, seeming confused.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "It's your birthday, Zuko! I thought you'd still be sleeping so I went to your room to wake you up and surprise you, but you weren't there."

"Surprise me?" He played dumb, but I could see the little smirk fighting to emerge.

"You very well know that I got you a present." At the word 'present' I could practically see his eyes light up and it made me happy. "Why are you all in here anyway?"

"Well mom insisted on having a special breakfast for us when it's our birthday." He looked excitedly at Uncle and his cousin for a moment. "Uncle asked Lu Ten if he could come back to the palace for a week or so because it's my birthday."

I just smiled, happy that my friend was just so thrilled for today. _I hope Zuko likes the present I made him._

Ozai loudly cleared his throat, making us look over sheepishly.

"Since we're all here, I feel it's time to start." He then clapped his hands once, signaling the start of Zuko's birthday celebration. Servants poured into the room and laid out piles upon piles of food.

Everyone immediately dug in, happy as could be, talking and laughing merrily. It was one of the few times that I had seen Zuko's whole family together and looking so joyful about anything.

Zuko himself seemed to be bursting with glee. He would look around the table and tell stories about his training or a joke, eliciting a laugh from his family.

Even Azula was laughing and smiling, not snarky or commanding. A real smile on her face made her look so much nicer and friendly, and I couldn't help but hope she stayed in this kind of attitude.

It was well over an hour before everyone was finished with the large meal and we were all full and a little sleepy. Regardless, Uncle and Lu Ten had to leave soon and said their goodbyes, but not before giving Zuko their presents which were wrapped in a red and gold wrapping.

Zuko thanked his uncle and cousin and hugged them each before taking his presents in each arm, both barely small enough in size that he could hold them at the same time.

Lu Ten ruffled my hair and told me to take care of his little cousins. I smiled and said that I would, and then hugged him briefly.

Uncle knelt down until he was at eye level with me. "Mayu, take care of Zuko for me while I'm away, will you? Sometimes that boy gets into trouble and I worry." He gently lifted my chin up with the tips of his fingers. "You're a very kind and special girl, Mayu. Be safe." And then he hugged me and left, leaving me slightly puzzled at his words.

I smiled at Zuko and helped him to carry one of the presents to his room. I was so very excited at finally being able to give Zuko my present that I ran all the way to his room, leaving Zuko breathless as he tried to keep up.

He found me waiting in his room, grinning and practically bouncing up and down, but I waited until he opened his presents from Uncle and Lu Ten.

Lu Ten had given Zuko a sword, a very old sword, from an old dynasty of warriors that had been wiped out long ago. It was a beautiful katana that shined in the light; its edge was silvery and looked almost liquid while the dividing line went gray then darker up into the blade ridge until it was black.

Zuko was mesmerized by the blade for a minute before whispering, "This is the most beautiful sword I've ever seen." He placed it back in the white and black gradient scabbard gently and set it almost reverently upon his bed, deciding that he'd find a proper stand for it later. Next he opened Uncle Iroh's gift and showed it to me so we could read it together.

My eyes must've been wide. "Zuko, this is a firebending scroll." From the looks of it, it was a very old scroll, older even than the katana. It showed forms that we had never seen before and they were from an ancient culture . . . "What does that say," I asked, pointing to part of the scroll that I couldn't read. "It looks like a different language almost."

Zuko nodded but said, "I don't think it's a different language . . . Maybe a different dialect? Either way, I think it says, 'Sun Warriors.'" He looked to me, puzzled but pleased by his gifts. "This is really cool. I have to remember to thank Lu Ten and Uncle when I see them again. These are amazing gifts."

I grinned and nodded my agreement but felt a slight panic when I thought about the gift I made. _What if he doesn't like it? It's certainly no ancient artifact from a long-gone culture._ I tried to push the worry away, remembering that Zuko was my friend. He wouldn't think my gift silly. "You still have another gift, Zuzu."

He scowled, albeit playfully, for a moment before feigning confusion. "What? Did they have another gift for me?"

I could see his lips twitch from a withheld laugh quite clearly, and I bit my lip, trying not to giggle. "Who today hasn't given you a present?"

"Azula?"

I narrowed my eyes at his smug grin. "No, I don't mean Azula."

"Dad? Mom?"

For a moment I wondered whether or not they really had gotten him a present for his birthday before remembering that they'd probably give him his gift later. It wasn't as if his parents and sister would forget. I folded my arms and waited for him to give up his farce.

"Fine, fine." He was smiling shyly now, almost as if he was nervous. "You really didn't have to get me anything, Mayu."

"I know." I grinned and reached into my dress pocket to find his present. "But you're my best friend, and I wanted to show my appreciation for you always being so nice and helping me whenever I ask you to . . . ." I bit my lip and reached farther into the pocket when I didn't immediately find what I was looking for. Then I felt the hole.

I knew the distress immediately showed on my face when Zuko asked, concerned, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Your present's gone!" I didn't know where it could've possibly fallen at, but I sprang up, determined to search the whole palace if I had to.

When I opened the Zuko's bedroom door, however, Azula was right there waiting for me, leaning against the door frame and smirking. "Where are you headed?"

I felt Zuko behind me and worked up a bit of courage. "I'm going back to the dining hall. I think I dropped something there."

Azula nodded, as if understanding then pulled out her fist and opened it, saying, "You mean _this_?"

Seeing Zuko's present in her hand I nodded dumbly, for a moment just thinking, _Oh thank god, I don't have to go search everywhere for it._ It was a simple golden-chained necklace with a single crystal orb as its charm. I had used the firebending skills that Zuko had taught me and a little experimentation to make it, which had literally taken me weeks to perfect. I had to make sure the crystal could open and close with a latch almost seamlessly, and it was hard.

I reached for the necklace, just so grateful that Azula had found it, then she snatched her hand back out of my reach, and the gratefulness I had felt plummeted.

She was still smirking and now holding it so that it hung down from her fingers by her head tauntingly. "Where'd you get this, Mayu?"

I didn't know how to answer. No one but Zuko knew about my firebending abilities, and I certainly wasn't about to tell her about them.

Azula, of course, continued on when I didn't immediately speak. "This is an interesting necklace. I've never seen anything like it." She narrowed her eyes. "Did you steal it?"

I couldn't believe she'd even ask that. "No!" I had never stolen anything before.

Whether Azula was being serious or thought something was amiss with the necklace, I didn't know. She certainly seemed suspicious. "If you didn't steal it then where did you get it? This is pure gold and a real crystal; it's very beautiful, but it doesn't make sense for something this expensive to be in the hands of a servant."

I felt horribly distressed. "Please, Azula, the necklace is Zuko's birthday present." Quickly I thought up a little lie that she would hopefully believe. "Uncle helped me to make it while he was here." At least Uncle Iroh was a firebender; otherwise that story would be completely unrealistic.

Azula narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, not finding anything wrong with that. "Well, what about the gold and the crystal?"

That I could explain truthfully, at least. "The gold was from an old necklace that my mother gave to me when I was younger. I found the crystal on Fire Island." Zuko had invited me there when they had gone on vacation about three months ago. I had found the crystal in a little cave by the sea and thought that Zuko might like it.

Azula looked practically furious by my explanation but she was interrupted from whatever she was about to say by Zuko.

He gently nudged me out of the way so he could stand face to face with his sister. "Stop harassing Mayu, Azula. Just give me the necklace."

I could tell that Azula was infuriated by not being able to prove I was lying or that I had done something wrong. She held the necklace out like she was about to hand it to Zuko, then threw it to the floor and stomped on it.

There was a noise of the crystal cracking and I felt like lashing out at Azula for the first time. To me, this wasn't her picking on me just because she viewed me as beneath her. This was her being a rude brat that wasn't getting her way and destroying something that I had worked hard on for Zuko.

I took a step forward and Zuko held me back, shaking his head, while Azula just sneered in triumph then left, trotting down the hall like she had just won a battle.

When she was gone I picked up the necklace and the shards of the crystal that had fallen off and trudged back into the room, feeling tears at the corners of my eyes.

Zuko sat with me on his bed and let me lean against his shoulder while I stared at his present lying in the palm of my hands. "I'm sorry, Zuko," I whispered, feeling like I had done something wrong.

He just shook his head and wrapped an arm around me to pull me close. "It's okay, Mayu. You didn't know Azula was going to do that."

"I know, but this was your birthday present. She shouldn't have broken it." I wiped my eyes with one hand and sighed, knowing that I shouldn't whine. "I can fix it, at least. It'll just take a little while before I can give it to you."

Zuko smiled and hugged me for a moment, letting me breathe in his warmth and comfort. "It can take years and I will still wait and be excited for it. Just take your time."

I sat with my legs crossed and faced him, holding up the necklace. "I can start fixing it now, silly. Would you hold up the chain for me? With both hands so the weight is equal for the crystal and it hangs down correctly?"

He nodded and took the necklace with both hands, centering it so the crystal orb was hanging down level and perfect. "Like this?"

I smiled and nodded my appreciation, picking up one of the two crystal shards and eyeing where it was supposed to go. I then lit a small flame at the tip of my finger and willed it into a fine line, then held the crystal piece in place and started to weld. It was a slow process, as I didn't want to mess up and accidently burn something or create bubbles where there were supposed to be none.

Zuko watched in awed fascination as I finally finished welding back on the first shard of the crystal and then the second. It was well over half an hour before I was finished, but I then took the necklace back and showed him the side where it had been cracked.

"Does this look too bad?" Before, the crystal had been an almost perfect orb, barely showing the line where it separated toward the tiny hinge. Now it was marred by the outlines of where I had welded the crystal pieces back into the orb, making a couple of nonsensical shapes. I had no idea how to fix it and I hoped that it would be okay.

Zuko took the crystal in his hands and smiled gently. "It's beautiful, Mayu."

Relief and warmth spread throughout my body and I couldn't help but smile so wide that it almost hurt my face. When he went to put the necklace on, however, I stopped him. "Hold on a second. Something needs to go inside."

He nodded and held the crystal open for me while I got ready. I held my hands out, palms up, and willed into existence a tiny flame with love, smiling at how alive it was. Taking a deep breath, I brought the flame up to my mouth and blew onto it gently, willing it to freeze in place as it was, and it did. I now held in my hands a still flame, seemingly ready to come back to life at any moment.

I gently placed it inside the crystal orb and closed it firmly, sealing it shut with a line of fire. When I held it up for Zuko to see I was met with a confused and dazed expression.

I was still holding the necklace in my hands for him to take. "Zuko? Are you alright?"

He blinked and nodded, slowly taking it to peer closely at the alive-but-frozen flame. Then he looked back at me, still astounded. "Mayu, what you did isn't normal. It shouldn't even be possible at all."

-Honestly, I don't know if firebenders can do that in the show. If they can, my bad. I will be explaining the idea of what she can do in more detail later. I word things somewhat in a weird way at times, but for kids who don't know what else to call a frozen flame that still looks normal, just completely still, I thought alive-but-frozen flame worked. If you have any comments, you are welcome to tell me, and please leave a review. Thank you very much, and have a good day.- SpiffyPixie1


	6. Chapter 5

-I'm sorry this took so long. Since it did, I tried to make it a little longer than the others. It seems a little scattered, but it's over the course of one day and a lot can happen in a day. Consider it a late holiday present. Thank you to all those who have reviewed and followed the story so far: moontse, Sailormoonfan227, Hell's Butterflies, jamie0360, Mikado X Goddess, Cadell, B-rabbit28, JustThatGirlYouKnow, Kunoichi1331, DarkShimmer30, and WarriorServent, as well as thanks to those that have reviewed but do not have an account. Thank you all so much. I was very surprised at how much you all liked this story, and it makes me happy. =) I will work on this story when I can, but new chapters coming in can be slow, so please bear with me. Thank you very much, and enjoy reading.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Chapter 5

It wasn't until after Zuko's reaction to my firebending that I fully understood how different I was.

Other firebenders could use their chi to make powerful plumes of fire, deadly and destructive, but other than the learned art of forming the flames to make a dagger of sorts, or even possibly a sword, they couldn't manipulate fire like I could.

I could use any fire, that I created or whatever was nearby, and make it as fluid as water or as still as stone. I could even make it touch a usually flammable surface and not have it go up in flames.

Instead of being wary of my abilities or going to inform someone about them, Zuko still kept it all a secret. He seemed to understand my mother's paranoia about never revealing my abilities and, even though he still helped and encouraged me to develop them, we never practiced where someone might accidentally see.

For the first few months after I made him the necklace and put the frozen fire inside, after hiding it where hopefully no one would find it, he would drag me to the palace library almost every single day. We searched through thousands upon thousands of books, wanting to find at least a scrap of information about my powers or if there had been anyone else in history with abilities like mine. Sad to say, we found absolutely nothing. In the huge library of the palace where years of information on the Fire Nation was stored, we hadn't found what we were looking for _anywhere_.

And it wasn't as if we could ask for help. We didn't want anyone to become suspicious. Still, I guess people found it odd how often we started going into the library, but we told them that Zuko was studying and that I was helping him.

Ozai, of course, approved, already thinking that Zuko needed to improve his knowledge.

Azula didn't like that we spent so much time in there, though. She was the only one really suspicious of our reasons for continually searching through the history of the Fire Nation and firebending forms and abilities, but with us 'studying' so much, Lady Ursa tried to spend more time with Azula and make her happy. Sometimes it seemed to work, as they were both happy on some days, mother and daughter strolling through the palace laughing and smiling. Other days, Azula would get herself in trouble again, doing something cruel or wrong, and Lady Ursa had to try and keep her in line and teach her that she couldn't act the way she did at times, and then the princess would sulk and be in a rage for days, snapping at anyone who crossed her path.

We avoided her as much as possible regardless since she seemed to dislike me after the incident with the necklace.

It was the first time I had ever wanted to show any kind of anger toward another person and it wouldn't be until a few years later that I would begin to understand. Even so, I wasn't at that point yet.

Months passed from Zuko's birthday and the seemingly endless days of searching the library for information I somehow knew we weren't going to find. Azula's birthday came and went as well, but Zuko told me that it was best to stay away that day and I agreed.

My birthday fell on a cloudy, stormy day with heavy rainfall and howling winds late in the year, and I couldn't even enjoy it because I couldn't summon the strength to even get out of bed. In short, I was ill and dizzy if I tried to move even an inch in any direction.

Mom tucked me in and went to inform Lady Ursa and Zuko that I was sick and that I wouldn't be able to spend the day with him.

I had fallen into a fitful sleep filled with the screams of a young man and the stench of burning flesh before I suddenly felt the touch of a cool cloth on my forehead.

My eyes snapped open to see the blurry outline of a person but they wouldn't focus and I just lied in my bed blinking and hoping I wasn't about to die.

"Who are you?" With the slurring of my words, my question sounded almost completely unintelligible; something more along the lines of, "Hu a u?"

There was a noise as if someone was shushing me and the cloth was removed then later returned, again soaked with a cool liquid.

I fell back asleep, again dreaming that terrible dream, before once again being awoken by a male voice now singing a lullaby I hadn't heard in almost a year and a half. I fought to open my eyes, determined to see if he was really there.

"Daddy," I croaked out, fighting violently to move myself into a position to see him. "Daddy?" There were tears pouring down my face and I wanted to just hug my father and sob until no more tears would come. I hadn't seen my father or heard word from him for a very long time. It was terrifying to think he would never come home.

I felt his hand on my cheek, rough and warm but gentle, and heard his voice saying, "Don't worry, my princess. It's okay; I'm here now."

Sure, he was home now. I was still trying to get up and open my eyes so I could see him before he had to leave again. Still, my body was weak and my dad just pushed me back down and tucked me in so I would just succumb to sleep again, and I did.

Later I had the strength to force myself up into a sitting position and look around the room wildly as I had felt the touch of another person's hand on my own which, of course, had rightly startled me.

Zuko was sitting beside me on my bed, smiling uncertainly with a cloth in his hands.

It occurred to me that he had never seen me even look remotely ill before and for some reason I felt embarrassed. I didn't want Zuko to see me so weak and sick. With the feeling of my face flushing hotly, I mumbled a hello to my friend and tried to get up from my bed.

"Mayu, what are you doing!?"

At first I couldn't answer with the feeling of bile rising in my throat but I pushed it down and took a few deep breaths. My vision was blurry, at best, and I tried my hardest to focus and look around the room. As far as I could tell, only Zuko was there and, as happy as I was to see my friend there and trying to take care of me, I could feel my knees buckle at the thought of my dad being gone again.

Zuko caught me and led me back to my bed, arm firmly holding me still. He sat me down and tilted my head up to wipe away the tears on my face that I hadn't even known were there. "What's wrong, Mayu? Why are you crying?"

I blinked a few times, vision still hazy. "My dad's gone again, isn't he?"

Zuko sat down beside me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Your dad? Who's your dad?"

"Daiki Oshiro." It almost worried me how confused Zuko sounded, as if I had just imagined my dad being there, before I heard Zuko make a noise that sounded like a chuckle.

"You're dad's Sergeant Oshiro? He's not gone, Mayu." I saw Zuko's blurry smile and felt relief. "He's speaking with Lord Azulon at the moment."

_Lord Azulon?_ I had never seen the Fire Lord in person. "What're they talking about?"

"I think your dad's delivering a report." Zuko's grip tightened slightly on my shoulder. "I think he'll be heading back to his station tomorrow."

I knew my dad was a soldier, but his leaving still bothered me. "At least I'll get to see him today." I sighed and leaned against my friend's shoulder, letting my eyes close. "But that probably won't be for a while."

Zuko wrapped an arm around my shoulders and sort of held me up while we sat in silence for a few minutes, just listening to the storm outside the building.

I shook my head and opened my eyes to look at Zuko, my vision finally clearing up. "What're you doing out here anyway?" The servant's quarters was a separate building from the palace and small, entirely made of stone. Even so, I could hear the storm raging outside, loud and terrible.

Zuko smiled a little shyly. "Well I got worried when I didn't see you. I looked for you all over the palace but I finally found your mom and she told me that you were sick today. So my mom led me out here so I could see you." He got up for a moment and brought me a cup of water.

I smiled and took a drink, then held it in my hands and realized what he was doing. "Hey!"

He looked at me, startled, as I sprang up. "What?"

"You're not supposed to be waiting on me!" I wasn't Zuko's servant, exactly, but for him to be doing things for me and taking care of me was a complete role reversal at the time. Zuko was a prince, after all. I was just a commoner; the only daughter of a maid and a soldier. For all intents and purposes, _I_ was supposed to serve _him_, even if we were friends.

Zuko chuckled a little and had me sit down so I wouldn't get dizzy again. "You're sick. I'm your friend and I'm gonna take care of you when you're sick." He filled up my cup with water again and fidgeted around. "Besides, it's your birthday, isn't it?"

I nodded stupidly before actually remembering that it was, indeed, my birthday. "Oh yeah." I laughed, feeling like an idiot. "I forgot."

"Well, I wanted to do something nice for you." He was still fidgeting around and it made me suspicious.

I narrowed my eyes at my friend and took a small sip of water. "What're you planning, Zuko?"

He blushed, surprising me. "S-since it's your birthday, I wanted to surprise you."

Immediately, I felt bad. "Zuko, it's alright. You don't have to do anything or get me anything." I smiled and tried to get up but I felt dizzy and sat right back down, head spinning.

"Mayu, I know I don't have to take care of you and surprise you with anything or get you a gift." He had his hands on my shoulders now and was looking into my eyes. "But I want to. You are my best friend. You always take care of me and do things for me, so I want to do something for you too." I could see that his hand kept going near his left pocket as if he wanted to remove something from there.

I sighed and smiled gently. "Okay, okay. What is it?"

His grin was just so bright and warm and it made me feel like exploding from happiness. "Close your eyes."

I nodded, closed my eyes, and waited.

A few moments later Zuko took one of my hands and let something slide around my wrist. The object fit snugly but not so tight that it was uncomfortable.

"Okay," he said, sounding excited. "You can open your eyes."

I opened my eyes and looked at my wrist, thinking the object was a normal bracelet. It wasn't. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever owned in my short life. The metal was a combination of both silver and rose gold twisting together flawlessly. The top was adorned with a single fire ruby set into the metal so it wouldn't stick out and the bottom, around the underside of my wrist, had a symbol etched into that said 'heart'. My own heart was pounding and I gaped at my present, stunned that Zuko would give me such an amazingly beautiful gift.

He watched my reaction hopefully, anxiously waiting for me to say whether or not I liked it. I was so speechless for a moment that he looked worried. "I-is it alright? I know that you don't wear jewelry and it's a little flashy, but I wanted it to be something you'd like. I can't do that whole thing you do with fire so I couldn't make it myself, but I watched over the making of the bracelet and made sure it would come out perfect." My poor friend looked positively sick with anxiety.

I rushed to him and gave him the biggest hug I could muster with my sick body, as well as a kiss on the cheek.

His own cheeks were flushing a brilliant shade of red.

"Thank you, Zuko!" I felt happy as well as horrible at the same time. "You didn't have to get me anything, certainly not anything so expensive! But I love it!" The metal was cool against my skin and fit comfortably.

My friend's body relaxed in relief and he hugged me back tightly, head resting on top of mine. "I'm glad, Mayu. I wanted you to know that you mean a lot to me."

I grinned and gave Zuko another kiss on the cheek, extremely happy. "You mean a lot to me too, Zuko."

Moments later, I was kneeling outside under an awning, heaving whatever contents were in my stomach out onto the ground to be washed away by the rain while Zuko held my hair back and rubbed my back, telling me that it was okay and that I shouldn't be embarrassed.

I couldn't answer but I still felt bad that he had to see me like this; my tiny body racking with pain every time I emptied my stomach and tears pouring out of my eyes because of how much it hurt when my stomach contracted.

Still, it soon ended and he led me back inside and made me lie down so that I could nap for about an hour. He woke me up and checked me temperature a little later.

He was smiling as he handed me the cup of water. "Your fever's gone down a lot, Mayu. Would you like to come to the palace? I can have a special lunch made for you and we can eat it together."

"That sounds wonderful." It honestly did. My stomach growled loudly in confirmation, making us both laugh until we heard someone opening and closing the door to the servant's quarters. "Who is it?"

Zuko shook his head but stood up and in front of me protectively, as if expecting someone to attack me.

I tugged on his sleeve. "Zuko, it's okay." I gestured to the man who walked into the room and was standing almost shyly a few feet away. "That's my dad."

He relaxed immediately and bowed slightly. "It's nice to meet you, Sergeant Oshiro."

My father bowed deeply in the respected Fire Nation style. "Hello, Prince Zuko."

I found it odd, my father bowing to Zuko, but I had to remember that he was a prince; still, he never made me bow to him or call him prince.

"I'm here to see my daughter."

Zuko nodded shyly and gestured to me, walking a little bit away toward the fireplace so my father could talk to me in private.

Dad sat on the edge of my bed and smiled, taking one of my hands in his much larger ones. "It's nice to see you awake, my little princess. How're you feeling?"

"I feel a lot better now, daddy. How was your meeting with Fire Lord Azulon?"

Dad shrugged and looked away from me for a moment. "It was fine. I reported everything he needed to hear in full detail and I'll be heading back to my commander in the morning." He cleared his throat and decided to change the subject. "That's a very pretty bracelet you're wearing, princess. Where'd you get it?"

I felt a little self-conscious but smiled and nodded to Zuko. "Zuko gave it to me as a present."

My dad turned to Zuko and eyed him strangely, making my friend smile and wave sheepishly. "Well, that was nice of you, Prince Zuko. Thank you."

He nodded again and looked away, apparently feeling foolish for whatever reason under my father's gaze.

Dad turned back to me and said, "You did thank him for it, didn't you?"

I scowled playfully. "Of course I did, daddy. I really do love this gift." The ruby shined prettily in the firelight, seemingly as alive for the moment as the fire itself. I motioned for Zuko to come join us and we sat and talked for a while about the year while my dad was away.

Thankfully, Zuko and my dad got along very well, which relieved me greatly. I loved my father a lot and I wanted him to like my best friend.

Dad seemed to enjoy our stories, even though they were childish and mostly about playing games and such. We avoided any subject of Azula's hostility toward me and about my discovery of my firebending. I had no doubt that my father knew about it and had kept it a secret from me as my mother had.

Zuko requested for lunch to be made and for it to be brought to the servant's quarters so that we could eat together while I rested in bed.

Partway through eating my dumpling, I sat it down and cleared my throat. "Dad, do you think I could join the army when I'm old enough?"

My father and Zuko both spit out their food at the same time, stunned at my words. Thankfully, all the chewed up food and spit missed me.

"W-what!? Why would you ask something like that," Dad asked, wide-eyed.

I could see Zuko giving me a glare out of the corner of my eye, as if I was saying too much but I shook my head and kept eye contact with my father. "You're in the army, daddy."

He sighed and looked frustrated. "Yes, but I'm a firebender. I'm in the army to help provide for you and your mother."

I kept my stare level and continued, not showing any emotion. "But there are non-firebenders in the army too, aren't there?"

My father narrowed his eyes and nodded. "Of course there are, but it's dangerous."

"Still, they're needed. That's why soldiers are trained to use swords, daggers, pikes, and all manners of weaponry." Zuko and I had read countless of books on the subject. "And it's not as if being a woman would hinder me at all; there are plenty of women that have joined the army."

Dad shook his head, slowly getting angry. "It's still dangerous, Mayu. You can't join the army."

Zuko was nodding in agreement but I ignored him for the moment. "If it's so dangerous, why are you fighting? Why do you have to go off to war and leave mom and me alone?" I gripped the ends of my blanket and bit my lip. "I listen to mom cry at night when she thinks I'm asleep, praying for you to come home and praying that you're not dead. You don't send word that you're alright for months on end." I struggled to not let tears escape. "You can be a blacksmith here in the palace! You could be a merchant, a cook, anything other than a soldier!"

"It's not a decision I can make, Mayu!" My father raised his voice and looked horribly strained. "The Fire Lord asks us to serve and we go to war at his word; if I had a choice, I would have no part of this war."

"Then what if he asked me to serve, daddy?" The fire seemed to go out of my father at my words in an instant. "What if I was ordered to be a soldier?"

We sat in silence while my dad seemingly mulled this over. He then said quietly, "That is not your destiny, Mayu. You will never go to war for the Fire Lord."

I nodded and sighed, knowing that I shouldn't be arguing with my dad for the short time he was here. "Yes, dad, I'm sorry." I took his hand in mine and squeezed it gently, hoping to elicit an emotion other than sadness. "Just try and send word more often that you're okay, please? Mom and I worry about you."

He nodded and smiled slightly, giving my tiny hands a little squeeze. "Okay, my little princess. I will try."

We all went back to eating and Zuko and I filled the silence with more stories of our escapades through the palace. A little later my father excused himself and went to find my mother.

Zuko turned to me when he was gone and had an expression of irritation. "Are you insane? You can't go into the army!"

I shook my head and smiled. "I don't want to join the army, Zuko. I was just trying to make a point. I don't like my father being in the army any more than you like the thought of me joining." I brushed my hair back and reached for my cup of water. "I wanted to say that I am a firebender, though."

My friend groaned and held his head in his hands. "Mayu, your parents don't know that you know about your powers. They certainly don't know that I do, and if they find out, you'd be in trouble." He stared at the floor, obviously worried. "There must be a reason they wanted to keep it a secret."

I nodded and put a hand on Zuko's shoulder, making him look up at me. "I know there's a reason, Zuko. One thing is, the Fire Lord can apparently never know."

"My grandfather?" He looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding in agreement. "No, he can't. He'd want to exploit your abilities in an instant. There's no one that can do what you do."

I smiled and sighed, thinking of my father's words. _"That is not your destiny, Mayu. You will never go to war for the Fire Lord."_ What was I supposed to think of that? Would I eventually be a traitor to my nation? Would I stand against the Fire Lord? I glanced at Zuko, who was staring at the fire, deep in thought. _Will I have to stand against Zuko?_

-I don't know what it is, I just tried for a dramatic ending to the chapter. I won't go over every single day of her childhood with Zuko. There will come a time when the childhood chapters will end and the main story will begin, don't worry. Thank you for waiting. There are times when I want to write but I won't be in the right mood for it and I just can't continue on with a chapter for the moment, so I apologize. Thank you for reading, and please review. Have a nice day/night.- SpiffyPixie1


	7. Chapter 6

-It's been a while since I posted anything, but I hadn't been feeling much like working on my fanfictions, just the original story I had been writing, then I didn't want to work on that, so I decided that I should work on this. I sped things along here, and then again in the next chapter, so yay! Two chapters. I'll work on another one soon, but I'm sorry that it took so long to come out with these. And the next chapter's a little longer than this one, so I hope that makes up for me not posting for a long time a little bit. I want to thank the people who are following this story and those of you that like it. I'll try and work on it more often. =) I'll let you all get to the story now.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Chapter 6

I remembered Uncle Iroh's news well, even years later. It was a terrible day.

Things had cooled down between both Azula and me so we could be around each other again. It didn't matter so much on some days because she habitually regarded me with a cool demeanor; I was beneath her.

Zuko, Azula, and I were playing in the garden with Lady Ursa when she opened the letter from Uncle Iroh and read it. We were concerned immediately when she gasped and covered her mouth, eyes wide with tears.

It wasn't anything good and there were no presents this time, like the dolls he had sent Azula and I, or the beautifully engraved pearl dagger he had given to Zuko. The news was that Lu Ten was dead; killed in action during the very siege on Ba Sing Se that Iroh was leading.

I held Zuko later that day while he cried in his room, telling him that it was better to cry and let his emotions out than to keep them in. Even while telling him so, I didn't cry so I wouldn't upset him further. I was devastated that Lu Ten was gone; he was a good friend to me and kind, and I felt sorrow at the fact that I would never see his smiling face again.

Uncle also sent word that he was quitting with the siege. He didn't have the strength to fight anymore. I couldn't blame him.

Through the grieving, I grew infuriated with Azula. I knew that she must have felt some sort of sadness at her cousin being dead, but instead of showing that she only mocked Uncle and called him a quitter and a loser. She also made it a point to tell us that Iroh's heir to the throne was gone.

Zuko wanted to hear none of it, of course, but I listened and worried. It turns out that I worried for a good reason.

Zuko and Azula's father, Ozai, showed hardly any sadness, if he felt sorrow at all, at the news of his nephew's death and his elder brother's devastated state of mind. Not long after he requested a meeting with Fire Lord Azulon and Lady Ursa, Zuko, and Azula were to attend as well. I had no idea why, but Lady Ursa and Zuko encouraged me to go as well, and so I did, but I sat behind Zuko and tried to seem as well-mannered as I could.

I had never seen the Fire Lord before and I was surprised at how timeworn he appeared to be. Then again, he did have a whole nation to run and he was still waging a war that his father had started, so it shouldn't have surprised me.

Still, I would be lying if I said I hadn't been in awe of the Fire Lord. The whole of the throne room was meant to be intimidating, obviously; a single ruler commanding large rows of flame on either side of him.

My control over my own abilities had gotten better so I was not afraid to be so near to the flames, and I was in no danger of the fires being drawn to me.

I sat and listened while Ozai asked a question about Zuko and Azula's great-grandfather Sozin, and how he was able to win the battle of Han Ti. Zuko, flustered about the question, forgot the books we had studied and couldn't remember.

Azula showed her brother up immediately, smirking. "Because even though his army was outnumbered, he cleverly calculated his advantages; the enemy was downwind and there was a drought. Their defenses burned to a crisp in minutes."

She was, of course, correct, and Ozai wasted no time in praising her for it. "Now, my dear, would you show grandfather the new moves you demonstrated to me?" He ignored Zuko completely, eager to show off Azula to the Fire Lord.

Her skills with firebending were honestly spectacular. She was a perfectionist in everything that she did. It was no secret to any of us that Ozai thought his daughter a firebending prodigy, and even less of a secret what he thought of Zuko's skills.

Ozai was smiling. "She is a true prodigy, just like her grandfather for whom she's named."

Azula scampered back over to sit by her brother and whispered, "You'll never catch up," earning a scowl from the both Zuko and I, though she couldn't see me.

Zuko, feeling competitive, immediately stood up and stated, "I want to demonstrate what I've been learning."

I could practically feel Ozai's mood drop as Zuko started to go through his forms.

I knew Zuko worked very hard on his firebending and, even though he wasn't as 'naturally gifted' with skills like Azula, he did very well. He practiced his firebending often and worked on his forms as much as he could, but his movements were noticeably different than his sister's; more fluid, less rigid. I, for one, thought it looked more natural, at least.

We all watched him as he progressed through his forms, and I glanced up at the Fire Lord to see him with his hands together, watching Zuko intently.

After a moment, Zuko attempted a jumping kick, slipped, and fell backward.

Lady Ursa and I both moved forward a bit, concerned, but Zuko got right back up and tried the move again, producing fire this time but once again falling. His mother rushed forward to help him up and I heard Zuko's disappointed tone.

"I failed."

"No," Lady Ursa said kindly, smiling. "I loved watching you. That's who you are, Zuko; someone who keeps fighting even though it's hard."

There were tears in Zuko's eyes as he listened to his mother's words and I yearned to comfort my friend.

Fire Lord Azulon spoke up, tired of sitting and waiting. "Prince Ozai, why are you wasting my time with this pup? Just tell me what you want! Everyone else, go!"

Lady Ursa, Zuko, Azula, and I got up to leave but before we reached the door, Azula pulled Zuko behind one of the curtains and Zuko pulled me along.

I was worried. "We'll get in trouble if we're caught eavesdropping back here," I whispered, hoping Azula would let us leave.

"Shut up," she hissed.

Zuko began to ask what she was doing but Azula shushed him and opened the curtains a bit so we could peak through and see Ozai talking with his father.

"Father," Ozai began, "You must have realized as I have that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his death, my brother abandoned the siege of Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he'll return home."

I bit my lip, angered. _Uncle has a right to mourn the loss of his son. He loved Lu Ten more than anything!_

Still, Ozai continued, angering me further. "But I am here, father, and my children are alive." Anyone could see where he was going with this.

The Fire Lord spoke gruffly. "Say what it is you want."

"Father, revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me." He bowed before his father, head down.

My body was quivering with rage.

Fire Lord Azulon, at least, seemed angered at this suggestion as well. He rose slightly from his throne. "You dare suggest I betray Iroh, my firstborn!?" The fire around him flared brighter and I could feel the heat even at the back of the room. "Directly after the demise of his only beloved son!? I think Iroh has suffered enough, but you? Your punishment has scarcely begun!"

The flames leapt high from the Fire Lord's rage and Zuko ran, dragging me with him. Azula, as far as I knew, stayed behind to watch more of the exchange.

I sat beside Zuko's bed later while he was lying down and resting, a sad look upon his face.

"Zuko, look at me."

He glanced up, countenance still depressed.

I smiled and took one of his hands, wanting to make him feel better. "Don't worry about anything, okay? Uncle is in mourning right now, but he'll come back and take his place on the throne when the time comes." I hoped so, anyway. Fire Lord Azulon didn't seem too pleased with the idea of replacing Iroh with Ozai, and I was glad for that. "Everything will be alright."

Zuko smiled slightly and squeezed my hand in appreciation for my attempt at cheering him up.

Azula opened the door and leaned against the doorway, smirking and looking mischievous. "Dad's going to kill you, dad's going to kill you," she sang, then turned her head toward her brother, smiling maliciously. "Really, he is."

Zuko sat up in his bed, scowling. "Ha ha, Azula; nice try."

"Fine, don't believe me." She strode over to us, almost dancing. "But I heard everything. Grandfather said dad's punishment should fit his crime." She tried speaking in a deeper voice to imitate her grandfather. "You must learn the pain of losing a firstborn son by sacrificing your own!"

The words gave me uneasy chills. _He didn't really say that, did he?_

Zuko looked away from his sister, irritated. "Liar."

Azula spun around, pretending to be shocked. "I'm only telling you for your own good." She acted suddenly as if she had an idea and sat on the edge of the bed. "I know! Maybe you can find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you!"

"Stop it! You're lying!" Zuko closed his eyes and pulled his blankets closer to him. "Dad would never do that to me."

_Or would he?_ I felt worried about Azula's words. Since we left, we had no way of knowing whether or not the Fire Lord had really said such things to Ozai, but Azula did have a reputation as a liar.

Lady Ursa stood at the door, curious as to what was being said. "Your father would never do what to you? What is going on here?"

Azula acted innocent and said sweetly, "I don't know."

Her mother didn't seem to buy it. "It's time to have a talk." She grabbed her daughter's hand and pulled her out of the room.

When they were gone, Zuko closed his eyes once again, trying to push the fear away. "Azula always lies. Azula always lies." He kept repeating this to himself, obviously worried about what his sister said.

I sat beside him and listened to his worried tone, wanting to comfort him, but I was worried as well. I wanted to believe that Ozai loved his son and would never even think of doing something like that to him, but it was hard to be sure of what he'd do. For a while I just sat and held Zuko to me while he shook and worried but eventually I tried cheering him up with tricks of fire.

"Are you ready?" I held my hands out, one palm up, the other down, and he nodded to me. After a deep breath I willed a ball of flame into existence and shaped it so that it looked like a miniature, fiery version of a turtle duck.

Zuko stared, wide-eyed but smiling. "How are you doing that?"

I shook my head, concentrating. "I don't know. I just practice with it and eventually I can do things like this." I made the fiery turtle duck walk out of my hand and onto the bed, willing for it not to burn anything.

My friend looked startled but amazed. "Wow. That's amazing, Mayu!" He reached out a hand to the turtle duck but then pulled back and looked at me. "Will it burn me?"

"No, it's alright." I had commanded the fire not to burn anything at all, so it wouldn't harm Zuko.

He reached his hands out and picked up the miniature fire animal, forgetting all his fears for the moment. "You make fire come alive. How is that possible?"

I had the miniature turtle duck dance in Zuko's hands, determined to keep my friend smiling. "If I knew, I would tell you. I just feel the essence of the fire, feel the emotion of it, and I just reach through somehow and command it." I morphed the turtle duck into a fiery, miniature version of Zuko and had it wave to him, earning myself a delighted laugh. "Do you want me to freeze this one too?"

Zuko shook his head but smiled. "That's okay. I wouldn't want anyone to find it and become suspicious."

I agreed and kept creating little fire creatures until dark and said my goodbyes. "I'll see you in the morning, Zuko. Goodnight."

He hugged me tightly, still a little worried about Azula's words. "Goodnight, Mayu. Sleep well."

I left then for the servant's quarters and practically collapsed into my bed, tired and feeling worried myself. _Ozai wouldn't really do anything like that, would he?_ I couldn't imagine waking up and finding a dead Zuko, but I silently cried myself to sleep, hoping that Azula really was just lying.

When I awoke I ran to find Zuko, wanting to see that he was still alive, and I found his room empty.

My heart dropped until I heard his voice down the hall.

"Where's mom?"

Azula responded, sounding bored. "No one knows. Oh, and last night, grandfather passed away."

I walked down the hall quietly until I saw Zuko and Azula.

Zuko was angry. "Not funny, Azula. You're sick." He strode toward her. "And I want my knife back. Now."

Azula, indeed, appeared to be playing with the knife Uncle had sent to him. When Zuko reached for it, however, she hopped away, out of his reach, and held it out tauntingly.

"Who's going to make me? Mom?"

The words hit a nerve and Zuko faltered before gritting his teeth and snatching the knife from his sister's hand. He ran off and I followed him, briefly looking back to glare at Azula.

Zuko ran to the palace garden and found his father who was staring out at the turtle duck pond with a cool expression. My friend had anger in his voice. "Where is she?"

Ozai ignored his son and did not answer or even acknowledge that he was there.

The next day a ceremony was held for Fire Lord Azulon's death. A fire sage spoke of his accomplishments in battle, of his family, and set his body aflame to burn to ash.

The fire sage's next words filled me with dread. "As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son." The crest of the Fire Lord was placed upon Ozai and the fire sage's voice rang out loudly, "Hail, Fire Lord Ozai!"

The columns of soldiers, the fire sages, Zuko, Azula, and I as well, all bowed to the new Fire Lord.

I felt fear in the pit of my stomach, knowing that this was not the way things were meant to be. Iroh was supposed to be the next Fire Lord, not Ozai, and Lady Ursa should not have been gone. I wondered if Ozai had anything to do with the simultaneous disappearance of Lady Ursa and the death of his father, but I couldn't figure out how it could've been done. I looked at Zuko and feared for my friend, knowing, somehow, that he would end up being hurt.

In the weeks that followed Azulon's death and Lady Ursa's disappearance, Uncle returned home.

For a while I would watch him and silently hope that he would do something, that he would take his throne back before Ozai did something terrible, but he didn't. Uncle was too hurt over his son's death.

I couldn't blame him, though. If I lost my mother, my father, or if I lost Zuko . . . I wasn't sure what I would do.

My mother had been Lady Ursa's handmaiden, but when Zuko and I questioned her on where Ursa might've gone or why she had disappeared, mom would only say that she didn't know.

This only made Zuko sadder, but I couldn't help but feel that mom was lying. She still thought she was keeping it a secret from me that I was a firebender, after all. I felt like mom did know what happened to Lady Ursa and she just wasn't telling us. It infuriated me, the secrets she kept and the lies she told me.

I could do nothing about it, though. Whatever her reasons, mom felt that she was protecting me.

I watched everyone around the castle and felt like everything was slowly falling apart. It looked fine, but the basic peace that Lady Ursa had brought was gone.

And Fire Lord Ozai started to take an interest in Zuko's studies more, wanting him to become better, which was all fine and dandy except for the fact that he no longer wanted me to be around his son.

"You're too old for a playmate, Zuko. You need to study and practice your skills without any distractions." He was practically glaring at his son, and ignoring me.

I had never spoken to Ozai before, not once, but I couldn't stop myself now. "Fire Lord Ozai, Zuko needs me! I'm his friend, and I need to be here for him!"

He still wouldn't even acknowledge my existence. "You are to study with a tutor every day and report to the dojo for training at noon. There will be no more playing with servants, Zuko. Do you understand?"

I bit my lip and kept silent, thinking, _I'm not a servant! I'm his friend._ I was Zuko's best friend. And now he wouldn't be allowed near me.

Still, he nodded obediently. I would be lying if I said that it didn't hurt a little bit, his willingness to just be separated from me.

I left the throne room immediately after that, trying my best not to cry when I reported to the kitchens for my new job as a scullery maid. The kitchen maid was a robust older woman with a round face and small dark eyes. She was gruff with me, but seeing that I was distressed, sent me to do multiple tasks to keep me busy, which was cleaning and scouring the floors and then, after the floors were clean, throwing the inedible food out into a compost bin for the gardener's use.

The bin was heavy and I struggled to carry it out to the gardener's shed, but I gritted my teeth and kept on walking slowly, determined to keep myself busy and not think.

I was angry, and upset with Zuko that he hadn't tried to at least put up an argument. I was supposed to be there for him, comforting him when he was upset, encouraging him in his endeavors, and now I couldn't.

_Do you not want me around, Zuko?_ I just shook my head and gripped the bin full of decomposing food closer, not wanting to drop it when I was so close to the shed.

"Do you need any help?"

I slammed the heavy bin to the ground, not caring that bits of food had fallen and marched up to Zuko, scowling. "No, I don't need help! Why the hell are you here!?"

Zuko looked confused, not used to my anger. "I saw you out here and I figured you might like company."

"Company!?" Of course I was delighted at seeing him, but I was still mad. "Your father said you're not allowed around me anymore! And you said nothing about it! You just agreed, not protesting or arguing, like you couldn't care less that I can't hang out with you anymore; just shook your head obediently." Tears were threatening to spill from my eyes and I wiped at them angrily.

"Please don't be upset, Mayu." Zuko drew me into his arms and stroked my hair, voice and touch as comforting as ever. "I didn't want to make my father angry, that's all." He tilted my chin up so I was looking into his eyes. "I agreed with his wishes because I had no intention of actually going through with them. I will never stop spending time with you."

I had little hiccupping sobs trying to escape, but pushing them down just made my hiccups worse. "A-as *hic* if you *hic* you will be able to *hic* get away from your studies now." And I descended into a fit of hiccupping, made painful by the need to cry that I was pushing away.

Zuko laughed a little and I gave him a dirty look. He only stifled his laughter but kept smiling. "Mayu, whenever I have a spare moment and I can go hang out with you, I will." He let me go so he could take the food bin to the gardener's shed but returned as quickly as he could, wiping my tears away when they finally started escaping. "You're my best friend. I won't ever abandon you."

I just nodded, still hiccupping and crying.

After a moment, when I composed myself, we determined that I had to go. I had a new job and Zuko had to get back to his studies.

"You can't come see me when I'm working, Zuko." He was walking with me to the back door of the kitchen to see me inside, but I had to make a point first.

My friend folded his arms and waited for me to continue, so I did.

"Everyone in the castle knows that I was your playmate, and for lack of a better word, your 'personal servant', so it will be known that we're not supposed to be around each other anymore." I watched as he leaned against the wall to the kitchen and sighed. "People will report to your father that you're still trying to spend time with me, and he'll be angry."

Zuko kicked at the ground with his shoes, scowling. "So what, we'll just start hanging out in secret?"

I nodded, albeit reluctantly, knowing that it seemed inappropriate. "Maybe not totally in secret, because there have to be some people who won't care, but I don't want you to get in trouble. I don't want to be thrown out of the castle either and never be able to see you again." This earned me a derisive snort and I rolled my eyes. "You might be the prince, but I'm just a lowly scullery maid now, Zuko. Your father has no use for me."

I could see that he didn't like the idea, but Zuko sighed and nodded, seeing my point. "Fine, but where are we supposed to sneak off to and meet without people thinking that we're . . ." He blushed faintly and looked away from me, unable to finish the sentence, but I knew what he was trying to say and cleared my throat, feeling a slight blush on my face.

"The servant's quarters, Zuko." He looked confused, so I explained further. "There are no guards around the servant's quarters, and the others don't mind us hanging out with each other, really. It's the ones that live in the palace that we have to avoid." I thought about it for a while and shook my head a little. "It's probably best that we avoid hanging out around my mom, too. She'd panic about the possibility of us getting into trouble and never let us be around each other."

"What excuse would I have for going out to the servant's quarters?"

I shrugged and hoisted the food bin on my hip, holding it at an angle. "You don't have to study every minute of every day. Just get away when you can and work out a time when it'd be okay." I smiled, feeling the little hope in my heart that I wouldn't have to lose my best friend. "You don't have to come see me every day. I'd be happy with seeing you at least once a month."

Zuko made a noise of exasperation and laughed, as if he couldn't believe what I was saying. "Oh please, as if I'd really go to see you only once a month." He smiled at me in such a sweet way that made my heart beat faster and my head a little dizzy. "You're my best friend, Mayu. You make my life better."

The blush on my face was practically burning as Zuko kissed me softly on the forehead then walked away, promising to come visit me later to tell me how his studies went.

I just nodded and fled to the kitchens, getting scolded for taking so long but then getting saddled with taking more compost material out to the gardener's shed.

I did so without hesitation, keeping myself busy, again, so I wouldn't have to think, or overthink about how nice Zuko's little kiss felt.

Later the kitchen maid made a little joke to the head cook about how red my face was, and how I must have a little crush on a boy and they laughed harder and harder when my blush would just get deeper and I'd stammer that I had to finish the job I was doing.

I didn't know what to make of my own feelings, but I refused to think about it. Even if I did have a crush on Zuko, there couldn't have been much of a future there. He was a prince, and compared to him, I was literally nothing. He would be Fire Lord someday, and I would still just be a servant. Mai would be able to marry him, and I would be able to marry another servant or a soldier, but thinking about Mai marrying Zuko just set my blood boiling, and I had to control my fury immediately for fear of setting the kitchen ablaze.

Much later, when I was exhausted and I was just sweeping out the floor of a pantry, I settled down on the balls of my feet and cried silently into the apron I had, muffling any sound that could have escaped me.

_So much for not thinking about it._

- Ah, young romance. I love torturing my characters with it. Of course, it is a Zuko/OC story, so it was to be expected. Things will be rushed along a little bit more in the next chapter, so prepare yourselves. And be prepared because it's a little longer than this, and I worry that it was drawn out, but it just seemed right to me. Thank you for reading, and leave a comment if you wish.- SpiffyPixie1


	8. Chapter 7

-So, here is chapter 7. It's not exactly super long, but it is longer than the others, and I read over them all to keep the story as straight as I could. I jumble things around sometimes and draw things out more than they need to be, but I rather liked the way this turned out. I know I might have the years screwed up a bit, but I don't care all that much. If it bothers anyone, let it be known that I am bothered by it as well. Anyway, I'll let you get to the story.- SpiffyPixie1

The Avatar's Disciples: Story of Mayu

Chapter 7

A year passed by quickly, and Zuko's 13th birthday came and went.

I couldn't attend whatever little party his father had come up with for him, but when I asked Zuko what happened, he just shook his head and said, "Father isn't one for parties." To make up for it, I set up a simple little picnic and gave him a dagger and a holster which was meant to be strapped to his arm and hidden with clothing.

I wouldn't tell him what it cost, but it had been a good chunk of money that I had saved up from my work in the kitchen.

Every now and then I would see Azula, as her father apparently had no problem about her being around me. She would make comments nonchalantly about Zuko and I that would send me into a panic, because she made it sound as if she knew we were still hanging out, but she never openly said anything about it.

I warned Zuko, saying that Azula knew about how we'd hang out by the servant's quarters in the morning and in the evening, but he would calm my fears and tell me not to worry. It helped a little to calm me, but there was always the nagging feeling at the back of my mind telling me that Azula knew and she just hadn't told her father yet.

My feelings about Zuko continued to flummox me, but I'd push the confusion away, not wanting to think about it. Whenever my thoughts turned to the words 'crush' or 'love', I'd quickly force it away and focus on other things.

Like how Uncle Iroh was doing better. He didn't seem to mind that Zuko and I were still spending time with one another, and he would cheer up considerably whenever he saw one of us, or both.

When we were alone once and I told him that Fire Lord Ozai had forbidden Zuko from being around me, Uncle laughed and shook his head. "My brother does not know how important it is to spend time with friends, Mayu. Don't worry yourself, though. If you come see me and Zuko happens to be there as well, I do not mind. I love to see you every now and then too."

So we didn't only have to meet outside the servant's quarters. We could also spend time with each other and Uncle Iroh as well, which I thought did wonders for him.

He was still overcome with grief at times over Lu Ten, but he was not distant and hollow as he had been. Having us around seemed to heal his depression bit by bit, and I could not have been happier, getting to spend time with my best friend and Uncle Iroh. Sure, I was avoiding how I truly felt about Zuko, but I refused to broach the subject. It was terrifying.

One day I was meant to deliver tea to the war room before the council would begin, mostly for Uncle, I assumed, and before I reached the room I saw Zuko being stopped by a guard, which of course only angered my friend.

"Let me in!"

Iroh came out of the room, no doubt hearing his nephew. "Prince Zuko, what's wrong?"

Zuko scowled and gestured to the guard. "I want to go into the war chamber but the guard won't let me pass!"

Uncle patted his nephew on the shoulder consolingly. "You're not missing anything, trust me. These meetings are dreadfully boring."

"If I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?"

Zuko was certainly an insistent person, and Uncle just sighed and nodded. "Very well; but you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know?"

My friend nodded and bowed, obviously excited. "Thank you, Uncle."

He proceeded into the war room and Uncle saw me, waved me over, and took the tray from me, thanking me for bringing him his favorite jasmine tea. "I have a feeling I'm going to need this," he whispered, eliciting a laugh from me.

I went back to the kitchens after that, actually hoping that Zuko would have fun in his first war meeting. Half an hour later, while I was emptying out the buckets of dirty water and filling them with fresh water, I heard a couple of other servants muttering that something had happened in the war chamber.

My worry grew as rumors started to circulate, and I finally felt like my heart would stop when Uncle came to get me, telling me what had happened.

"Z-zuko did what!?" I was still wearing my dirty apron and the hem of my dress was filthy, but I was excused from my duties when Uncle had requested my presence.

He was drinking a cup of tea and staring into the cup like it would tell him what to do. "He spoke out against a general because the man proposed the idea of sending in a new division of recruits against a seasoned battalion of Earth Kingdom soldiers as bait, intending to use the distraction to attack the enemies from their rear."

"A bunch of green horns wouldn't survive against that!" My wording came from my father, who had often spoken of some of the experiences he'd noted in battle. "That's a despicable thing, using them as fodder!"

Uncle nodded and took a sip of his tea before saying, "Zuko said as much, telling the general that it was wrong and it would be a betrayal to those soldiers."

I bit my lip, knowing there would be a consequence to Zuko's actions. "He's in trouble, isn't he?"

"Yes, and it's not good at all." Another sip of tea and Uncle continued softly, "My brother isn't happy, and he said that because of Zuko's disrespect there is only one way to resolve it."

Again, I knew from my father what way it was to be. I covered my mouth, choking down a gasp. "He has to do an Agni Kai?" A fire duel, likely against the general he had spoken against.

Uncle sighed and nodded, refilling his tea. "Indeed. But Zuko is unafraid."

We sat in silence together while I thought, letting my own cup of tea go cold.

Finally I set the cup down and held my head in my hands. "There's more to it, isn't there, Uncle?" I was muttering, but I knew he could hear me.

He grunted in confirmation, which wasn't comforting at all.

"He's not facing off against the general, is he?"

"No, child," Uncle said softly, and I looked up, seeing how tired and stressed he was. This man had lost his only son, lost his throne, and was unable to defend the nephew he saw as a second son. I was surprised he wasn't shedding a few little tears, but he was most likely holding his feelings inside, like I was.

I trotted over to Uncle and put a hand on his shoulder. "Please tell me he's not facing off against who I think he is, Uncle."

The man sighed and put one of his much larger hands over my own and patted it, eyes closed. "He spoke out against the general, but it was in the Fire Lord's war room."

I finished the thought out loud, voice hoarse. "So it's the Fire Lord that Zuko disrespected." I cried freely now, worried for my friend. "Zuko will have to fight his father."

Uncle held me while I cried and sang a lullaby softly in an attempt to comfort me.

Soon my body would produce no more tears and I once again sat in a chair across from Uncle, a cup of steaming tea in my hands and my legs tucked up underneath me.

I took a big gulp of tea, not even caring that it burned. "Will I be able to go warn him?"

Uncle shook his head, taking slow sips of his tea. "No, Mayu. He is under constant watch until tomorrow and even I am forbidden from seeing him."

_Ozai doesn't want anyone to tell Zuko that he'll be battling his own father._ The thought made me seethe, but then I started to think, _Or maybe Ozai just assumes that Zuko knows that he'll be fighting his dad._ But I knew Zuko; he thought he would be fighting against the general who had proposed the stupid plan of sending new soldiers in to fight as bait. He'd never dream of facing off against his father in an Agni Kai.

The tea calmed my nerves but did nothing for the sick feeling in my stomach which just got worse the more I worried for my friend.

"I would like you to come with me tomorrow, Mayu, if you do not mind."

I bit my lip and nodded. There was no way I would refuse to go. I had to see my friend. I had to be there for him, but as I looked at Uncle and saw his sad, tired countenance, I knew I would have to be there for him as well.

The next morning, my mother fussed over me, making sure that my hair was braided back and tidy and that my clothes were presentable.

My mom was invited by Uncle Iroh to attend as well, but she declined, saying that she had her duties to attend to.

I knew mom just didn't want to see a young man fight in a fire duel, especially since the young man was Zuko.

As I walked with Uncle toward the palace, I wondered what my father would think if he were there. I knew he wouldn't approve of a child taking part in an Agni Kai, and I imagined him trying to take Zuko's place to spare him. _The Fire Lord would never allow that, though._ I gripped Uncle's hand tighter as we took our places in the stands around the dueling field. My breath was coming in short, quick gasps and I didn't even care when Azula was standing next to me, smirking.

My eyes were on the field, on the center where Zuko and the Fire Lord were kneeling, back to back and capes over their shoulders that would slide off as they got up and turned around.

It was in this moment that my breathing stopped, seeing Zuko confident and ready to fight, and as he stood, the cape sliding down, and turned to meet his opponent I saw his surprised expression, immediately followed by apologetic deference. I could see the tears in his eyes, and I knew that this wasn't at all what he wanted.

My friend dropped to his hands and knees, almost bowing to his father. "Please father, I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"

The Fire Lord walked up to his son and looked down on him with disgust. "You will fight for your honor."

Zuko was still pleading for his father's mercy. "I meant no disrespect. I am your loyal son."

Ozai was unmoved by his son's pleas. "Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!"

But my friend just stared into his father's face, desperate for his forgiveness. "I won't fight you."

Fire Lord Ozai clenched his right fist, and I could practically feel the fire building up inside him. His face showed nothing but disappointment and scorn. "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."

Everything that happened next was so fast, but I missed none of it. It was permanently burned into my memory, and no matter how many times I played it over in my head, nothing changed.

The Fire Lord set his fist aflame and struck quickly at his son who could not move away in time to save himself. Zuko screamed as the fire burned his face, and I could smell the burning flesh clearly.

His pained scream sent me into a panic and I started to scream his name and tried to scramble over the low wall that separated me from him.

Uncle covered my mouth and kept me still, then ordered a guard to take me to his room and to stay there with me until he came to get me.

I struggled with the poor guard the whole way there, just seeing Zuko getting burned by his father over and over and still hearing his scream ringing in my ears. When we finally reached the room I ran to a corner and curled myself up in a ball, rocking forward and back and wanting none of what happened to be real.

In hindsight, I feel quite sorry for the young guard that had to deal with me while waiting for Uncle Iroh to come collect me. He tried comforting me and asked for tea to be brought to the room and said that he thought what happened was wrong, but he was talking to me as if I was a small pet, obviously not used to dealing with distraught children.

Still, after a while I calmed down and sat in one of Uncle's armchairs, legs tucked underneath me and a cup of cooled tea in my hands. Every now and then I would take a small sip but I stared at the wall, still seeing the scene play over and over in my head.

Soon enough I became aware that the guard was gone and that Uncle was sitting across from me again, silent and drinking his own cup of tea, countenance miserable.

We stayed like that, silent and trying to draw strength from each other even though neither of us felt strong at all.

At some point Uncle took my hand and led me to a room where Zuko lied in a bed, fast asleep. The left side of his head was wrapped in bandages, and I imagined that I could smell his burning skin again. I knelt by my friend's side and cried, hoping that he couldn't hear me crying for him.

Uncle and I stayed there by his bedside, hoping he'd wake up soon, and when he did I held back my tears and held his hand tightly.

"Mayu, have you been crying?" Zuko's voice was quiet, and I wondered why he was concerned for me instead of himself.

I nodded and squeezed his hand. "I'm fine, though. How are you feeling?"

My friend smiled weakly. "I've been better, honestly." He looked over to Uncle, who was gripping his nephew's other hand. "When will I have to leave, Uncle?"

I looked between them both, startled by the question and wondering what he meant.

"You'll be leaving tomorrow at dawn. A ship is being prepared for you as we speak."

"W-what? Why is Zuko leaving?" My little heart was beating so fast and painfully in my chest, and I thought it would burst.

"My brother has stated that by refusing to fight, Zuko has shown shameful weakness."

Zuko avoided my gaze and stared at the ceiling. "I'm being banished from the Fire Nation as punishment . . . And I'm not allowed to return unless I capture the Avatar."

I stared at them both, feeling a strange giggle of insanity trying to escape my throat, but I coughed instead, knowing that to laugh would be inappropriate. "Zuko, where are you supposed to find the Avatar?"

"I don't know, but I have to find him." Of course he did. His very prince hood was at stake and now riding on the hope that he could find the Avatar, who had been gone for 100 years.

I said nothing about it, though, knowing it would only deflate his mood, and listened while they talked about preparations for leaving.

When Uncle finally left the room, leaving Zuko and I alone, I held my friend's hand against my cheek, unwilling to let him go.

"Mayu," Zuko began, gaining my full attention. "Uncle has promised to come with me on my search for the Avatar. I would very much appreciate . . . I would love it if you came as well."

I could not get the yes out fast enough. "Of course!" I felt like laughing and crying. "I will go with you, Zuko. I'll stay with you no matter how long it takes to find the Avatar."

He chuckled softly and removed his hand from my grip only to hold it up to me, his pinkie out. "Promise?"

I nodded, smiling, and linked his pinkie with mine. "I promise, Zuko."

My friend smiled and nodded off to sleep soon enough, exhausted from his pain.

Uncle came to get me and led me to the servant's quarters, already knowing that Zuko had asked me to come along. "I've informed your mother and told her that she's welcome to join us, and she said that she would. You both have a room on the boat being prepared for you."

I nodded my thanks to Uncle and leaned against the wall outside the servant's quarters. "Mom and I will have to get ready to go, then."

"Yes, and be ready to leave very early in the morning," Uncle stated, smiling as I groaned at the thought. "I'm glad you'll be coming with us, Mayu. Zuko needs you and your strength."

I made a very unladylike noise but smiled softly. "I don't have any strength, Uncle. I fell apart after he got hurt."

Uncle shook his head and stared up at the stars. "You have more strength than you know, child. You watched what happened and did not look away, no matter how awful it was."

I bit my lip and stared at Uncle Iroh's unhappy face, wondering if he had looked away, but not having the courage to ask. I felt like it would be wrong. "I'll get started packing soon, Uncle, and make sure that mom and I have everything prepared for the morning."

He nodded, smiling sadly. "And I will have a message sent to your father so that he knows you two will no longer be at the castle." Uncle left then, needing to finish getting ready for departure himself.

I stayed leaning against the wall and looked at the stars, uncaring about leaving the palace behind. In my solitude, I didn't even notice who had crept up on me.

"So, leaving with my brother and our uncle, are we?"

I jumped, startled, and glared at Azula, who was smirking. "What are you doing here, Azula?"

She shrugged and put a hand on her hip, that cruel smirk still on her lips. "I know that Zuko had been going against my father's wishes and still spent time around you, you know."

I kept the glare but gulped, knowing that my worries were true. "So? It doesn't matter now. He's leaving to go find the Avatar, and I'm going with him."

Azula just rolled her eyes and sauntered up to me until she was barely two inches away. "I know my brother's been banished, but you're just a lowly little servant, Mayu. Father's already punished him, maybe not for still hanging out with you, but he's been punished. You went against Father's wishes too, though." She put on a thoughtful expression. "I wonder what your punishment would be if I told Father about that?"

My throat felt dry. "Why would you do that? You haven't told him in all this time, so why would you tell him now?"

The young girl grinned cruelly, eyes narrowed. "Because I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here with me and be my servant."

"E-excuse me!?" I had to stop myself from gaping at the young princess, wondering what the hell was going through her mind. "Why the hell would you want me to be your servant?"

She smirked at my use of language. "Because you've been keeping a secret, you and my brother, and if you don't do as I wish, I will tell Father."

I stared at her for a moment, not believing what I was hearing. "But I don't want to stay here with you," I whispered, feeling sick.

"It doesn't matter what you want," Azula sneered. "I am the princess and you will do what I say, even if you're not happy with the decision." She looked away from my distressed face for a moment and continued on with her little rant. "You'll tell me the secret you and Zuko kept from me, which should be soon with Zuko not around to defend you." She laughed, obviously delighted. "Oh, I'm so glad that he's leaving. He's never going to find the Avatar, because he's been gone for over 100 years. I'll be Fire Lord when Father dies and Zuko won't be able to do anything about it."

I was silent and just let Azula continue on her little spiel, unable to speak in my dizziness.

"You know what? I'm glad all this happened," the princess continued on happily, surprising me. "Mother always favored Zuko over me, and that little brat would always tell on me, getting me into trouble. He deserved to get burned."

My hand seemed to move on its own accord at Azula's words, fueled by my anger. I had never struck another person before, and it left my palm and fingers stinging from the force of the blow.

Azula took a few steps away from me, shocked and it took a few moments for her own anger to surface. "Y-you hit me."

I was still mad, and the anger was burning in my chest. "I _slapped_ you, you little brat! I have shown you kindness, even when you were being rude to me, but you will _not_ speak about Zuko like that!" I struggled to calm the fire raging in my body, knowing that it would be bad if I let it out. "Your mother loved you both, more than anything in the world. She just wanted you to be kind and not hurt anyone. That is the only reason she ever punished you, but you instead stupidly saw it as, 'She doesn't _love_ me, she only loves Zuko'!"

"Enough!" Azula's eyes were blazing with anger and she held her cheek as if it was burning. "You will not speak to me like that! I am the princess of the Fire Nation! You dare strike me!?" Her own hand ignited in flame, and I stood my ground, surprising her. "Oh, you want to get burned, you little peasant!?"

I held my head high, knowing the fire wouldn't hurt me.

Azula took this as a challenge and, smirking, threw a ball of fire at me, hot with rage.

But it never touched me. A wall of earth rose up, blocking Azula from my view, and I stepped back, startled and wondering what happened.

Azula stepped around the wall and gaped at it, then me. "That's your secret! You're an earthbender!"

I didn't nothing to dissuade her, as I was confused, knowing full well that I was not an earthbender. I was a firebender, and not even a normal one at that.

A shadow appeared behind Azula and struck the back of her head, making her fall unconscious immediately.

Fearful, I wondered if I should have called the guards but then my mother stepped into the light, and I gaped at her. "M-mom?"

She checked me over, as if worried that I had gotten burned. "Are you okay, Mayu? Did she hurt you?"

I just shook my head and my mom rushed me into the servant's quarters immediately, pulling out a travel bag and stuffing our clothes and things into it.

"We need to leave before Azula wakes up, okay? I'll have someone send word to your father about what happened, and we'll hide far away from here."

I stared at my mother, feeling so many emotions all at once, but feeling a couple most prominently; betrayal and confusion.

Mom finally turned around and looked at me, seemingly distressed at the expression on my face. "I know you're scared, honey, but it'll be okay. I won't let anyone hurt you."

I blinked, the anger building in my chest again. "She wasn't going to hurt me, mom."

My mother looked confused at my words. "Mayu, she threw a ball of fire at you. It would've burned you, like how Zuko got hurt."

Her words stung and I struggled to push the image of my friend being burned away. "She couldn't have hurt me with fire," I spat, wanting her to stop lying. "Fire can't hurt me, and you know it!"

Mom narrowed her eyes and did the same biting thing with my lip that I always did. "What are you talking about, Mayu? Of course fire can hurt you."

"Oh really?" I stomped over to the fireplace and plunged half my arm into the flames, not caring that my mother was now freaking out, and then pulled my arm back out, completely unscathed. I did it a couple of more times, staring at my mother's face and wide eyes, then I splayed open my fingers on one hand, willing tiny balls of fire into existence at the tips. I made them dance around the room, not letting them burn anything, just making them turn into different shapes before my mother's wide, dazed eyes.

When I finally made the tiny fires burn out, I stood with my arms crossed and my foot tapping, waiting for my mom to say something.

It seemed to take her a little while to collect her thoughts, but when she finally spoke, her voice was hoarse and quiet. "How did you find out?"

I shook my head and looked away from her, upset that there was no apology for the lies. "I was curious why you told me to be cautious around fire, about these 'abilities' that you said I had."

Mom walked up to me and gripped my shoulder tightly with one hand and my face with the other, forcing me to look at her again. "Does anyone else know?"

"Zuko helped me to find out about my powers, mom."

"The _prince_ knows about your powers!?" She ran back over to the travel bag and made sure it was closed, then grabbed my hand and started to pull me out the door. "We're leaving right now!"

"He hasn't told anyone!" I tried to free myself from my mother's grip, but it was too tight. "Zuko promised that he wouldn't!"

Mom stopped walking and turned back to me, eyes wide with worry and scorn. "It's a lie, Mayu. He's probably told someone, and I need to get you away from here."

"It's a lie!?" I pulled against her hand, almost crying tears of frustration because of how strong she was. "Zuko hasn't lied to me, mom! You have! You've kept secrets from me all my life, about me being a firebender, about not knowing where Lady Ursa's gone, and you never told me that you're an earthbender!"

I saw the hurt in my mother's eyes, but I didn't want to care. I did, obviously, but I didn't want to. "Does dad even know!? Is dad my real dad, are you my real mom? Am I even your child?" I began to question every moment in my life that concerned my parents, knowing full well that the questions were hurting my mother's feelings, but I still didn't want to care. I was hurt by her secrets, and I wanted her to know.

"Mayu, stop!" She was almost shouting at me and I quieted down finally, crying and angry. "Your father and I are your real parents, and I know that we've kept secrets from you." She hugged me, shaking, as if she wanted to cry herself. "But it was to protect you. And now we have to leave the palace and the Fire Nation as quick as we can before Azula wakes up and tells her father what's happened."

I was shaking my head and crying still, as if that would change her words. "But I promised Zuko that I would go with him on his search for the Avatar, mom." It was childish and silly, but I couldn't help but say, "We made a pinkie swear. I can't leave him. He needs me." I didn't want to leave. If I left after making that promise, it would be a lie to him.

But mom was just pulling me along again, biting her lip and firm in her decision. "When Azula wakes up, she'll report to her father what has happened, and he'll send soldiers to capture us, honey. I'm an earthbender who has kept the secret of her abilities for years while in the service of the Fire Lord, and he's going to think either you or I am a spy. We need to leave and go into hiding."

"Please, mom, I don't want to leave Zuko. He's my best friend. I can't leave him behind." I kept trying to pull myself free until mom stopped and knelt down to my eye level, forcing me to look into her eyes.

"Mayu Oshiro, you listen to me. If the Fire Lord finds out what you are and tries to use your abilities for war, so much could be lost. Do you understand? I need to protect you until you can go to war against him."

"No!" I was almost to the point of stamping my feet, I was so distraught. "I don't know what I am, mom! I don't understand any of this!" I didn't want to go to war. I didn't want to leave my best friend behind and let him think I had lied to him, or I attacked his sister, or that I was a spy. He knew of course that I certainly wasn't an earthbender, but he would catch word that something had happened when he would leave tomorrow morning and that I wasn't going with him.

Mom wiped away my tears and tried to shush me. "Mayu, I am your mother and I will protect you. I promise I will tell you everything you need to know in due time, but if you don't quiet down and come with me without screaming your head off, I will knock you out and carry you all the way to where we're going unconscious, and when we get there you will be grounded."

I still cried, wanting there to be some way that I wouldn't have to leave.

Mom decided to try a different tact. "Zuko knows about your abilities?" I nodded and she continued. "And he hasn't told anyone, not even his father or his uncle?" I shook my head, prompting her to ask her next question. "If you are captured by the Fire Lord and he figures out your secret, don't you think he'd get a hold of Zuko and punish him further for keeping it from him?"

And that was when I knew that mom was right, and I had to leave. If it meant Zuko's safety, even though he'd probably believe that I had betrayed him, I had to leave him behind. So I followed mom obediently after that, picturing Zuko's face, one side unmarred, the other wrapped in bandages. I imagined him standing on the deck of a Fire Nation ship and staring out at the palace as he sailed away, loathing me for my dishonesty and for breaking my promise.

When we were outside the walls of the palace and halfway through town, mom stopped at a shady looking shop and asked the old man to send word to my father; just a simple message, not giving anything major away. _"We're going home. Will send word when we reach it."_ And then we fled, buying passage on a small boat away from the Fire Nation and then my life changed.

Word quickly spread about an attack at the Fire Lord's palace, something about an earthbending child, with one gold eye and one brown, attacking the princess.

I didn't care. All I knew is that Zuko would not only think I was a liar, but that I had attacked his sister, somehow, with earthbending. Or something of the sort.

We hid whenever there were Fire Nation soldiers around, which was often, and I had to be especially careful, seeing as how there weren't many children around with two different colored eyes like mine. It didn't take long for rumors to circulate that the father of the dual-eyed earthbending child was to be arrested, but he somehow escaped and fled, and no one had seen him since.

I asked my mother what that meant, where dad could've possibly gone, but she would just shake her head, worried and planning where we were to hide next.

The days and weeks passed in a blur for me eventually, and soon we arrived in a secluded village in the Earth Kingdom, presumably safe from the clutches of the Fire Nation and Ozai.

Part of me didn't care. I was on the run like a criminal, hiding from the authorities because of a crime I didn't commit, my best friend was banished from his home, hurt and probably feeling betrayed, and my father was either in hiding or dead, because he hadn't sent word to us for a long time.

It was then, when I was feeling like a piece of despicable trash, that my mom told me what I was.

"Your father told me about this before you were born, because he and I both shared a love for old tales." She opened an old scroll and I read from it while I sat in her lap like when I was a small child.

My mother proceeded to tell me a story in her own words, one that I knew was imprinted in her memory.

"Though the Avatar is the only person able to master all elements of Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, and is the bridge between our world and the spirit world, he has always had people around him who were linked to his own spirit. These people embody the spirit of their element in full, for they are the spirit of their element. They are called 'The Avatar's Disciples.'"

My eyes flashed over the old words as my mother spoke and I felt as if I could see the past.

"The Disciples of the Avatar are his siblings in spirit, and they in turn are like siblings to one another as well. His power and life make them stronger and vice versa. One Disciple is born for each element. The Disciples and the Avatar are drawn to each other, knowing when the other is in pain, happy, and sometimes seeing what the other is seeing. Disciples are able to do incredible things with their element that others cannot, for they are the essence of the element, and their element cannot harm them."

I looked away from the scroll and to my mother, eyes wide. "S-so I'm a Disciple?"

Mom nodded, eyes far from happy. "That is why we had to get you away from the palace, Mayu. If the Fire Lord had found out what you were, he could've tried to use your powers to conquer the other nations, and he would've known that the Avatar is alive."

"Then where is the Avatar!?" I looked through the scroll again, as if it would have answers. "If I'm supposed to be linked to the Avatar, why can't I see him? Why did I not know he's alive?"

Mom shook her head and sighed. "I don't know, Mayu. I don't know if the Avatar is alive but an old airbender or if they were born into the water tribe and has just been in hiding. I don't know anything of what's happening." She rubbed her head as if she was developing a headache. "All I know is that since you're alive, the Avatar must be as well or they will be born soon."

I groaned in frustration and searched through my memories. "Zuko and I looked in the library for so long, because he knew my abilities were different from a normal firebender's. We found _nothing_ that even remotely mentioned The Avatar's Disciples."

"I'm not surprised." Mom stood up and dusted her pants off, then took the scroll from me to put it away. "Not many people even believe the old tales about the Disciples because they were gone for 100 years, too. The Fire Lord wouldn't have kept books he thought were about fairy tales."

I scowled, remembering Ozai, but pushed him out of my mind. "What do you mean the Disciples were gone for 100 years?"

Mom grabbed a broom and started cleaning the windowless room we occupied. "The Disciples are connected to the Avatar, Mayu. I don't know what's going on; I'm just a regular earthbender." She smiled and continued to sweep.

_That's a lot of help._ "Who was the last Avatar, mom?"

She answered without hesitation. "Avatar Roku; he was born into the Fire Nation."

"So who was supposed to be next?"

Again, there wasn't any hesitation. "The next Avatar was to be born into the Air Nomads, as is the cycle of the Avatar; Water, then Earth, then Fire, then Air, and then it just goes in a circle. They are reborn and reborn again."

I remembered what had happened to the Air Nomads. "But the Air Nomads were all killed 100 years ago." The thought was depressing to me, and I felt a slight sting on my heart. "What happened to the cycle?"

Mom shook her head and stopped sweeping, just leaning on the broom as she thought. "I don't know, honey. It's always possible that the Avatar escaped the extermination of the Air Nomads, or they were reborn into the Water Tribes, and they've just been hiding. We won't know until the Avatar appears."

"How will we know?" I thought about Zuko's banishment and about how he was only allowed to return home if he captured the Avatar.

"You'll know, Mayu," mom said, sweeping all the dirt on the floor into a pan. "You are connected to the Avatar. When he or she appears, you will know."

I nodded and wondered who the Avatar would be, but sat silently and soon enough tried to sleep.

In my dreams I saw hundreds of people from many lifetimes, all either from the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, or the Air Nomads. They all smiled and said comforting words that I couldn't remember when I awoke hours later, but the dream did wonders to ease my worries and I trotted off into the village to find my mom.

"Hey, Mayu, how was your nap?" She was holding a basket full of assorted vegetables that I knew would be in our dinner tonight.

I picked up a stalk of celery and bit into it, earning a scowl from my mom, but I smiled. "It was fine. I actually feel a lot better." As we walked back to our little underground room, I stared at the ground and wondered how to bring up my question. "Hey mom?"

"Yeah?" She had stopped by a well and was bringing up water to wash the vegetables with.

"You know how Zuko's mission is to find and capture the Avatar?"

She gave me a sideways glance then returned her attention to the water. "Yes, Mayu, what about it?"

I bit my lip and kicked at the ground with my shoes, reminding myself of Zuko. "Do you think I should help him?"

I heard the water pail fall back into the well and looked up to see my mom staring at me, shocked. "Are you insane!?"

"I'm guessing that's a no then." I grabbed the rope and proceeded to pull the water bucket back up from the bottom of the well, not looking forward to my mother's rant.

And let me tell you, rant she did. "I know you're fond of Zuko, Mayu, but he's acting on his father's wishes in some misguided attempt to regain whatever 'honor' he has felt that he's lost. If he manages to find the Avatar and he captures him, there's no hope for the world. The Fire Lord will have no one to stand against him and he will trample over the other Nations."

"Alright!" I was immediately regretting saying anything. "I'm sorry! You can stop now."

But my mother wasn't finished. "The Avatar is what keeps peace and balance in the world. You are there to help him, and when he appears, you must help him. You were born to help the Avatar, not betray him by helping your friend to deliver him into the hands of the Fire Lord."

I groaned, emptied the bucket of water into a pot, and carried it to our room, wishing that I had just kept quiet. "Okay, I understand. You really can stop yelling at me now." I just wanted to hide and go back to sleep, and I didn't really want to wake up.

Mom proceeded to clean and cut up the vegetables when we got back to our little room, where she muttered to herself about my idiotic ideas, and I just went back outside and sat with my back to a tree, intending to fall back asleep.

Instead I started thinking about the other Disciples and if they were alive, or if I was the only one. I got to wondering how there was supposed to be an Air Nomad one of us when the Air Nomads had all been exterminated, but pushed it away, assuming that there was just me, and a Disciple of Water and Earth.

I produced a ball of fire but started to make shapes with it; a miniature Zuko, a miniature version of Uncle Iroh, of Lady Ursa, of my father, of Mai, Ty Lee, Azula, Azulon, Ozai, and all the people I had come to know in my life.

Finally I made the fire grow until it was a life-sized version of Zuko, all fiery and red, of course, but nonetheless I cried and hugged the stupid thing, wanting it to really be my friend. I missed him, and I wanted to find him, but I knew that I couldn't. I was born to help the Avatar, and help him I would whenever he appeared.

Part of me didn't know how I knew the Avatar was supposed to be a boy, but I had a feeling he just was.

I held the fire-Zuko close, pretending for just a moment that it was my friend and I could finally express my confused feelings for him.

-So, a little sped up and odd, yes. I have the idea for the Disciples, and I know it's a little jumbled, but I like it. And I'm thinking about making separate stories for them all, so there could be stories of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Other authors often have their claim to ownership over their story ideas, so I just decided to make mine. The ideas for the story, the Disciples, and the OC's do belong to me, and I would appreciate if no one copies it. I don't know that anyone would, but I'm putting it out there just in case. So, belongs to SpiffyPixie1, me, and I will start working on the next chapter as quick as I can; just not in the middle of the night, because I can't even put together a coherent thought at times. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and leave a comment if you wish. Thank you, and have a good night.- SpiffyPixie1


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